Here
by grumpypiggy
Summary: Soryu Oh, caught in the middle of a mafia war, finds himself looking for an alliance with the Black Mamba, another group similar to his which was led by one of his closest friend and ally years back. However, Soryu Oh didn't intend to come across Black Mamba's prized possession one night. Will this chance meeting change everything and cause a rift between the two friends and group?
1. Prologue

**Author's Note: I do not own any character that came from the simulation game, but I do own the main female character and the other mafia squad characters. Been a bit rusty with my writing, please do take it easy on me. Nevertheless, I hope you guys love what I have here.**

 **Prologue**

The moonlight's rays looked so beautiful as it softly touched her face. We were both standing in the dark, only a low-lit lamppost for lighting as she stood there in the middle of the children's playground, a book and a convenience store plastic bag in her hands. As I stare at her, her face looking up at the sky, eyes closed, a little smile formed in her lips. I can't hear her breathe but I knew she was taking in the serene feel of how the night surrounded her. As her long brown curls were wildly blown by the wind, I catch my breath and I suddenly feel so consumed in the moment that I do not know how to respond if she asked me a question, or even if she said anything.

She looked so sublimely peaceful right at that moment. She looked as if she was a woman borne from the light of the moon and the cold of the dark as she silently looked up the stars and she took in a deep breath. I kept staring at her, forgetting what I wanted to say, thinking if I actually had something to say at all. I was just simply rooted in where I stood, my arms crossed in my chest, taking in the wonderful nymph in front me as she enjoys the wonderful solace she has found in a children's park underneath the moonlight and cold breeze.

"You might as well explain why you followed me here, Mr. Oh." She softly said. I didn't hear her at first, her voice coming in soft with the way the wind blew around us. She wasn't looking at the sky anymore; her eyes were silently staring into mine; question and humor playing in those amethyst orbs. She looked so pale and white compared to the heavy darkness around her; she looked like an angel in a desolate abandoned place. I forgot what I wanted to say.

"Surely you must need something, or you needed me to relay a message for Yoichi?" she added as she smiled and tucked her hair behind her ears. She moved her head slanting to the side, portraying a curious little kid, waiting for an answer to her curious inquiry. She was waiting for my answer, but she knew what had happened to me while I was watching her enjoy the night.

She knew what her presence did to me.

"I was wondering, why you were walking alone at this time of night. Women do not usually go out like this unless they're-" I began to say but she raised up her hand to tell me to stop. I waited. However, she smiled and chuckled softly and she made her way out of the playground and she started walking back to where she lived.

She didn't answer my question.

I opened my mouth to call her back. I knew that I just didn't want her to leave this place. I wanted to spend some more time with her, in this dark private space, where I can be the only one she can see; the only one she can talk to.

"I don't need your condescending tone, Mr. Oh. I'm old enough to know the danger lurking in the shadows." She stopped walking. She looked back at me with a cold smile on her face. I have annoyed her. I have wounded her pride for prying into her business and scolding her at the same moment.

"Even if you weren't in the shadows, danger is still prevalent. You, of all people, Mr. Oh knows this, am I correct?" She smiled and continued walking. I started to walk after her, taking my time, slowly, so that I would not scare her.

"Why are you here, then?" I suddenly hear her ask. She stopped walking and she turned around and faces me. I see neither smile nor cynicism in her face anymore. I could no longer read her eyes the way that I could. "I told you, I saw you alone." I explained. Partially, this was true. I also followed her around from the moment she came running out of her place up until she stopped inside the convenience store to buy something.

"Ahhh." She said. She closed her eyes, shook her head and she went back to walking home. "Well at least let me walk you home, Miss Chieko." I offered. "Yoichi won't be pleased to see you out and about." I added.

"Yoichi doesn't have a say on what I want to do. I do things on my own accord." She smiled. She looked back at me and smiled a sincere one. "I really do appreciate your offer of walking me home, but I can assure you, Mr. Oh. I am danger free from here on out. You can go back to your business now."

"Good bye, Mr. Oh." She said and she turned her head back to the road and walked faster.

I couldn't say my reply. I wanted to tell her to stay with me, don't go back to that place anymore. I watched her small figure get minute with every distance added as she walked back. Before I lost her, I began to yell, "What are you doing outside, then?" I thought she didn't hear me but I heard her laugh and said, "I bought some things!" Wanting to keep the conversation a little bit, I replied "Things for what?" and that was the time when she stopped walking again and faces me, even in the distance she was so mysterious that even her evident seclusion from what her surrounding's nature was, she somehow belonged to it.

"A Black Mamba secret!" she replied and before I could ask what she meant, she started towards the road and she was gone.

It wasn't her ambiguous reply that made me stop going after her, but the mere fact that she's gone and I somehow wanted my thoughts to grasp some things that I just realized as I watched her go. Chieko Kazumi is a mystery and she's something different.

Then and there, as I looked at the dark road where she walked in minutes ago, I had an epiphany that everything within my world is changing and for once, I am taken off guard.

For once in my life, I was undone.


	2. Chapter One

**Chapter One**

 _ **Soryu's POV**_

Noisy.

This was the usual set up here up in the common room at Tres Spades. My friends were arguing over something petty and now the ruckus has become more chaotic than it ever was before. My closest friend, the owner of Tres Spades, came down from his room and took a look at how noisy the others were and the frown told me he also wasn't happy about what was happening. Eisuke was married for a year now and he and Hinata are expecting a healthy baby girl soon. Eisuke slowly assisted Hinata down from the stairs and led her to the couch and sat down beside her.

"What the hell is all the noise about? Hinata's nap was disturbed because of you idiots." Eisuke asked. He looked at me as I shrugged and tipped my chin to where Ota, Baba, and Kishi were sitting.

"Well?" Eisuke raised an eyebrow and looked at one person to the other.

"Eisuke, I don't think it's necessary to know about it. They were having fun, weren't you guys?" Hinata interrupted as she scratched her left eye as if to scratch away the remnants of her sleepiness.

"Thank you, Hina! You saved us from eternal damnation!" Ota and Baba said at the same time. Kishi was somehow aloof and bored looking as usual and he just grunted as he placed his cigratte back into where it usually was.

"Soryu, how have you been?" Hinata asked. I was taken aback from the casual talk she's giving me right now, but I sensed something was going to happen even before she said it. "Eisuke, what have you gotten yourself in this time?" I asked. Hinata bursted out laughing and she looked at her husband, teasing him, "He knows you better than I do. Go on and tell him."

Eisuke looked annoyed with that but he gave in and looked at me and said, "You're still going to the business ball, right? All of you are, right?" he looked at all of us and expecting an agreement, he smirked once he heard the chorused approvals of the rest. He looked at me and raised that tyrannical eyebrow of his. Damn, I want to shave it off of his face as I punch that smirk off his lips as well. Although he has this kind of demeanor most of the time, he was my closest friend even before the other idiots came in the picture.

"Yes, I'm going." I sighed. Eisuke let out a bark of laughter and looked at me, eyes twinkling with mischief and mirth. "Don't worry, Soryu. I bet you'll find him there. Every mafia bachelor will be present. After all, the people who come to my auction are half the population of your world. You'll definitely find them there." He replied, as he knew my purposes for attending social events such as this business ball.

It meant a lot to Eisuke for getting auction participants and for business partnerships, but it was also important for me because of a business I need to settle with mafia groups. Lately, mafia clans have been asking for an alliance from mine since their populations seem to be decreasing as time passes by. My personal theory for this was because of their lack of loyalty and strong discipline and principles and also the mafia wars.

But that wasn't why I was interested in them. Ice Dragons can stand-alone even if the strongest mafia groups in this generation's time falls. We will remain resilient, as long as I am the leader. However, there is this mafia war being rumored wherein the decent ones are in a bind with the notorious ones. This was the thing that has been pushing me to have an alliance because with this mafia mess going on, business and our typical lives won't stay the way it was and it would be against my principles to help out when things go wrong if I turn the blind eye and forget the issue. Moreover, there is this one particular mafia group that has caught my attention not because of their notorious ways or distrustful ethics when it comes to mafiadom, but because of their head. He was a good friend of mine years back.

I needed to know if this mafia group needs an alliance, maybe I could put it into advantage. I needed to know if this group still stands; because without it, my clan's the only one with enough decency left to stop this ridiculous mafia war. And in this time, we need all the help we could get.

"You sure he'll be there, Eisuke?" I asked him once I thought my strategy through.

"I delivered the invitation to his residence first thing when everything was settled. He has the same sentiments and predicaments such as you do, he'll be there. You guys need enough preparation as time will permit." Eisuke stated.

"Alright. When was this business ball again, then?" I replied.

"Tomorrow. Visitors come in at 7 in the evening. Bring anybody you like." Eisuke stated.

"No need for that. I need Ryu and Samijima the most." I said with finality. Who needs a woman in these events? I didn't come here to flash women before my enemies or allies, I came here to find somebody. I mean business, not flirtations.

"I will come only for Yoichi Tatsuo." I said.

Eisuke grunted his approval. "Yoichi Tatsuo, it is."


	3. Chapter Two

**Chapter Two**

 _ **Chieko Kazumi's POV**_

I can feel myself feel anxious of the way things are unfolding in the neighborhood every single day. I can sense something difficult is upon everybody and I am here, hidden and protected as if I am a royalty of some kind. I am Chieko Kazumi, a 27-year-old woman who is under the protective wing of Yoichi Tatsuo, a mafia leader of a group called the Black Mamba. I am not the leader's mistress or lover or anything close to that kind of idea, but I am the closest person for a family Yoichi has. We go way back since we were little children, and yes here we are. He a mafia lord and I, well let us say their 'prized possession'.

I gazed at the scenery my bedroom window has offered for me and I suddenly saw a movement in the corner of my eye. I sighed and closed my eyes. I guess the men have arrived home with either devastating news or a wonderful temporary result of their mission yesterday evening. I started to walk towards the door of my room when somebody knocked and opened my door. Behind my door was a tall figure of one of Yoichi's most trusted men and friends, Tsuyoshi Mamiya.

"Anything wrong, Yoshi?" I asked him. I usually call them with short names because we have been together in the household for quite a while and it would be very weird and wrong for them to put me in a pedestal that's why I call them as if we were equals. After all, we are in a mafia gang.

Looking at him, makes me realize how precious he is to me, together with his twin brother Tadao Mamiya, they have been with me since the day that Yoichi took me in and they helped me heal from all the traumatic experiences I have no intention of recalling. Seeing them all formal with their brown messy hairs and their brown eyes, light complexion, and friendly expressions, you can never believe that they are mafia members and that they can kick ass with just one snap of your fingers. They are also my official bodyguards since they are the ones I am most comfortable with.

Well I guess you can say that I'm fine with having bodyguards because it is an utmost need nowadays, especially with all these mafia group chaos going on. I know Yoichi is very tired and baffled at all of this mess so I knew that when Tsuyoshi looks so grave like this, the mission wasn't a success.

"Nothing like that happened, Miki. The master needs to talk to you about something." The men in the household, except for Yoichi and sometimes Tsuyoshi and Tadao, call me Miki. They call me Miki because it means "beautiful princess". Yoichi told them to treat me with great respect because I was the mafia group's one and only woman and therefore, I was their princess. Going back to Tsuyoshi's sudden approach, he smiled reassuringly and I could breathe again. Good, no other men got hurt or even got converted.

One of the greatest things among all the cruelty in this whole mafia concept is that our group is solid upon instigating rules. Loyalty is one of our strongest principles. We stand on loyalty and strength alone. With that, I guess our group's undefeatable. But nevertheless, we need alliances with other groups with the same aim and principle such as ours. Mafia wars are difficult to arise, but it isn't impossible.

"Where is he, Yoshi?" I asked as we both got out of my room. I was walking along the corridors and down the stairs when I met the gazes of hundreds of people who would die for Yoichi's stake, and might as well as mine. I gave them the warmest smile I could give amidst the heavy cloud of tension that was surrounding the place. Tsuyoshi led me to the garden where I saw Yoichi standing all-alone, back to me, while he was holding an envelope of some sort. I glance at Tsuyoshi and Tadao as I entered the garden. They did nothing but shrug at me.

"Ichi? What's the matter?" I asked silently, waiting for his reply. He glanced at me and he finally turned around, handing me the envelope.

"Read it. Tsuyoshi, Tadao, leave us." He ordered and the two men left the garden. The garden was a bit chilly for an afternoon, windy as usual, but I have always wanted the weather this way.

I opened the envelope and apparently, a fancy invitation to a business ball at Tres Spades was its contents. I wondered why Yoichi was showing me this… I glanced up and saw him looking intently at me as he came closer and he tucked my hair behind my ears.

"Ichi, what is the meaning of this?" I raised the invitation up to his nose. He chuckled and patted my head as he took it from me and placed it on his suit pocket. After he did this, he suddenly grew serious, however his eyes were telling a different story. His dark hazel eyes bore into mine with mirth and humor as he held my face between his hands and said, "Chieko, my Eko, Eko…" I was getting all the more confused and pissed because he wants me to do something but he couldn't say what.

"Spill it out, Ichi." I said. He laughed and finally got to the point. "I need you to do something for me, Eko." He said. He seemed reluctant to ask me of it, but he knew that I would agree no matter what it was. I owe too much to Yoichi, without him, I would've been a goner.

"What is it?" I asked.

"I need you to be my woman." He said.


	4. Chapter Three

**Chapter Three**

 _ **Yoichi Tatsuo's POV**_

 _"You want me to be your what?" Chieko's eyes widened as she said this and she started to panic._

 _"One night. For just this business ball, that's all." I insisted. I still held her face in my palms and as I see her close her eyes and sigh before she said, "Alright."_

 _I finally breathed my sigh of relief. The plan's going to work after all._

 _"That bad, huh?" she asked. I nodded. She smiled and ruffled my hair into a mess. I remembered how she hated having it sleeked back, saying I looked a fright, as if I was an evil mob boss or something. Not that I'm not._

 _"Thank you." I said. She snorted and went back inside._

" _Come inside, it's getting chilly out there." She smiled._

I had to recall the way she actually agreed to this fiasco because I didn't want to order her around as if she's my slave in this house or something. Chieko, or Eko, has always been my friend and my family for years. We had experienced everything from happy times during high school and even my transition years from being a normal eldest boy of the Tatsuo clan up until being the son who will take over his father's notorious pride and blood group.

A lot has changed since then as I looked at myself in the mirror as I was preparing for this damn ball. I am not a fan of attending these kinds of things, I would rather love transacting business with clients or other people here in my residence or outside, away from all the social shit everybody loves nowadays. But this is an exception. I need allies for there will be a mafia war soon and I need to team up with mafia groups who are decent enough to appreciate humanity and stop this ridiculous rift between our world and save the last hope of having a mafia life that is at least a little decent.

"You didn't have to pull her into this, Yoichi." I heard Tsuyoshi's voice from my door and saw his figure leaning into my doorframe as I was fixing my tie in the mirror. "She isn't ready. What if she gets hurt?" Tadao chimed in as he came in with my coat.

I sighed. I knew I would be putting Chieko at risk once everybody laid eyes on her during this ball. But I need her there to distract the other people from knowing my primary purpose for attending that event. She's the best pawn and hope I have in succeeding. No matter how important she is to me, she knows that I will always put the mafia group first more than anything else.

"I know. But she agreed. We need her here." I replied and the two men, my best loyal lot of them all, nodded. It was very obvious of how taken they are with Chieko. Who wouldn't? She has the most beautiful eyes, the color of amethyst, rounded up in sockets that are surrounded by long lashes. Not to mention her doll like features and her blushing cheeks and her long silky brown curls. I remember I had to chop off a mafia member's hand when he tried to touch her in places where even I was not allowed to touch her. But the most salient quality everybody loves about Chieko is her caring nature, her pure innocence, her resilience and kindness to everybody. She doesn't cower in fear in disgust even from our biggest and meanest member of the clan.

It isn't a surprise that even the newest members of the clan, even if they saw her for the very first time, are in love with her in an instant. She has a charm that is different from all the women out there, and that's why she's our prized possession. Our princess. My princess.

It really is no wonder why these boys are ready to protect her no matter what happens.

"Make sure she's alright." Tsuyoshi insisted. "Please, Yoichi." Tadao added.

"The hell are you pleading for? You guys are coming with us, idiots." I barked and sighed as I pinched my nose. I'm starting to actually regret asking her to do this. "Where is she?" I asked.

"Getting ready in her room. I think she's about done."

 _ **Chieko's POV**_

"I look decent, right?" I asked myself as I twirled myself as I wore a midnight blue Grecian dress in front of the mirror. I didn't know what to do with my hair so I decided to put it down and just make it look as simple as I could. I was battling against putting a gold band on my head to actually make me look like a Grecian goddess, but it might not look appropriate.

I sighed. "You won't be there to wow everybody. You are there for a reason." I told myself.

"Yes, as my woman." I heard Yoichi's voice by the door and my head snapped up and looked at him. "Yoichi…" I started. But he put up his hand and shook his head as he came in my room and glance at the gold band sitting by my table.

"Just checking in if my woman is all set and done?" he smiled as he grabbed the gold band and placed it on my head. "You remember what we talked about?" he asked.

"I have to act so demure and mute that everybody will think I'm your slave." I joked. He stiffened at my remark and I slightly slapped his arm. "I was kidding!" I smiled. "Yes, I have to act as your escort and I shall behave as much as I can and converse with people when they converse with me. Wittiness is not allowed, therefore, I should be in my best womanly behavior as to not embarrass my master."

"You didn't have to expound on that. I just need you to be by my side and be my woman." He scratched his nape and I laughed. "Hurry up, we'll be late. I won't get anywhere if you dally much longer." He said as he went back to my door and stopped to face me before he went out.

"You look beautiful, by the way." He smiled.

"Th-thank you, Ichi." I replied. I feel awkward, he doesn't praise me, ever.

"Come on, then." He reached out his arm and I took it.

"Time to meet, Soryu Oh." He whispered.


	5. Chapter Four

**Chapter Four**

 _ **Soryu's POV**_

"You ready, Sor?" Baba knocked on my door as I was fixing my tie in front of the mirror. His persistent knocking annoys the hell out of me so I strode to my door, grabbed my gun and pointed it as I opened the door.

"You will quit knocking on my door and leave me alone." I said.

Baba has his hands in the air and he looked at me, bewildered. "Jesus, I was worried you were too anxious on seeing Yoichi and you chickened out!" he teased, which made me load my gun and really shoot at him.

"Alright! Alright! I was just kidding! Let's go already, grumpypants!" he yelled as he ran away from me. I sighed. These idiots do not know the concept of personal space or even the idea of silence. I followed Baba and went down the convention hall so that I can start my plan.

As we go down the convention hall, I could see it fill up slowly with people wearing different colors of gowns and the noise, as I calculated, as the elevator went down, will be unbearable. But I am in a business here so I need to bear it.

I saw Eisuke by the entrance as he greets different people, wearing his diplomatic smile, waving them to go inside so that the program or the party could start. However, as he greets the guests, an employee shouts the guests' names before they enter the premises. Good job, Eisuke. He notices me and tips his head back telling me to come to him.

"Is this a brilliant plan? I have this guy announce their names so that you would know the guests before you even see their faces." Eisuke told me. I scan the crowd if people going in and asked "How many are they here now?"

"Three mob bosses. No Yoichi Tatsuo yet." Eisuke replied.

"Typical of him." I muttered. "Huh? Why?" Eisuke glanced at me.

"He usually arrives late during these kinds of things. He's a man who abhors events and lots of people." I replied. Yoichi, as far as I could remember, was an introvert. He hated crowds and he hated making small talk with people unless it was absolutely necessary. It seems that I would have to enter first before he arrives. I was hoping to have a short chat with him so that I could collaborate with him with the analysis of the men around us in the party. So that things would be better and faster with him around helping me already. But I guess catching Yoichi's attention now would be quite difficult.

"I did some research, and it seemed to me, your friend is quite popular even for non-mafia people." Eisuke said. "He's quite a charmer for business, I might add."

"He's not arriving here yet. It's best to enter the premises now, Eisuke. Let's go." I said. "Alright." Was all his reply as he followed suit.

 _ **Koichi's POV**_

As we arrived at the hotel, I knew Chieko wasn't feeling excited. She was not used to the mere fact that she was somehow a bait in my plans for tonight. After what happened the last time, I told everybody that she is not to be involved in any of our plans or missions, but here I am, forcing her to do something she isn't comfortable with. I grasped her hand and squeezed it. She stared at my hand and she slowly raised her gaze into my face, her eyes asking me what I want to say.

"Forgive me?" I smiled. She chuckled and shook her head as she toppled her other hand into mine. "Ichi, there is nothing to forgive." I nodded at that.

"We better go out, we're already late for the ball." She joked. I nodded and went out first and I assisted her, seeing that her dress was a struggle even if she looked so magnificently blessed in it. As I fixed my coat and faced the person who seemed to be some kind of announcer who asked who I was and asked who were with me.

"I am Yoichi Tatsuo. This woman is my muse, and the other two men are my friends. Tsuyoshi and Tadao Mamiya." I said. The announcer noticed I have not said Chieko's name yet.

"And the beautiful lady, sir?" he asked. He cowered a bit as he saw my jaw clench. "My name is Chie-" Chieko started to say but I stopped her midsentence and snapped at the announcer, "Miki. Her name's Miki." and the announcer gulped and nodded.

"Introducing…" the announcer started.

"You will be known as Miki tonight, is that clear?" I whispered to Chieko. She nodded. "Are you ready?" I glanced her way as I positioned myself in the entrance and held out my arm.

"Yes. Let's go." She whispered and smiled as she placed her hand into mine.

"Mr. Yoichi Tatsuo, Tsuyoshi and Tadao Mamiya, and Miss Miki!" the announcer said as the curtains opened and I saw a flare of light and music and people. However, when they heard Chieko's name being called, everybody fell silent.

"Walk with me, my princess." Was all the encouragement I could give her as we walked inside and her grip tightened on my arm.

 _ **Soryu's POV**_

It was 8:15 pm when the curtains to the entrance refrained from opening and closing. Where was Yoichi? Was he even coming at all? I scanned the crowd to see how many of the participants were part of the mafia world. I started counting. They were a lot more than I thought. They ranged from the oldest to the youngest, the smallest to the biggest, and the simplest to the most notorious and dark.

We were all complete, the squad of evil. However, Yoichi is not yet here. The only ally I could think of amidst this slowly deteriorating world of ours. Just then, when I was losing hope, I felt Eisuke's arm grip my shoulders and whisper, "He's here."

"Ladies and gentlemen, introducing, Mr. Yoichi Tatsuo, Tsuyoshi and Tadao Mamiya, and Miss Miki!" the announcer yelled and I froze. I decided not to look so that he wouldn't notice me yet but as I noticed that everybody fell quiet around the room as they widely gazed upon Yoichi and his company, I felt quite puzzled. I pulled Eisuke's arm and whispered, "Talk to me. What are you people seeing? Why is everybody in shock?"

Eisuke got his senses back, motioned the orchestra to continue playing, and stared at me. "You better see for yourself. He's with two identical looking men and…" he shook his head and chuckled.

"And what, Eisuke?" I glared at him.

"A woman." He smiled.

A woman? Yoichi was known to hate women all our lives, even his reputation as a mafia was a woman hater of some kind, but he was never cruel to them. This surprised me and I whipped my head to where he was standing and I stopped breathing.

"What the hell." Was all I could say as I stare at Yoichi and his companions. Yoichi's face has not changed at all; angelic yet dark as his pale face and green eyes was topped with his messy hair. His stature was still as confident as always, and he got taller but nevertheless, he was the young friend I had years back. He seemed to be with the Mamiya twins, an acquaintance, but I never had the chance to strike a conversation with them for they were a little bit younger than I was when I met them first. But the shock wasn't from these familiar faces I was seeing. It was from the mysterious muse Yoichi has, clinging on his arm, as he waved and smiled at the people he knew from the crowd.

Her face was like a doll's, her hair was brown and curly that fell lovingly at her back, she was a petite little thing but she had womanly curves that even her midnight blue Grecian dress couldn't hide. She must be a year younger than we are. She had large eyes but it suited her doll like features, I couldn't see what the color of her eyes are, but whatever they are, I bet they are as splendidly complementary to what I can observe from her from afar. She was beautiful, and I knew I wasn't the only who noticed her. She looked so prim and proper that the women from the crowd started to gossip over her because of instant jealousy.

"Her name's Miki, right?" Ota, Baba, and Mamoru asked Eisuke as they all looked at the mysterious woman. I stared at them as they watched and felt a little prickle of annoyance.

"What a sight for sore eyes. Whatdya know, Soryu! Your friend has brought in a toy he wants to show off!" Eisuke laughed. "You know who she is?" he added.

I shook my head.

"No, I don't know her. I don't know her at all."

"Oh but you want to…" Eisuke muttered.

I said nothing and went to the tables where they served the drinks.

I came here primarily for business, not to dote over a mysterious woman. This is ridiculous. I need to fix an alliance for my clan and I have to do it fast. And I need to talk to Yoichi Tatsuo because he's the ace to all my plans in saving this damn mafia race.

And yes, Eisuke was right.

Yes, I want to know her. And I don't know why.


	6. Chapter Five

**Chapter Five**

 _ **Chieko's POV**_

"Why are they all staring at me?" I gasped as I tried to take a step back when Yoichi started walking to the crowd. I felt a hand touch my back and Tadao stood by my side as Tsuyoshi whispered, "Miki, it's because this is the first time they've seen Yoichi with a woman." He chuckled softly. I turned to Yoichi and his face seemed to be annoyed while he was scanning the crowd.

"Yoichi?" I asked. "Yeah?" he answered.

"You have never been seen with a woman? In any event such as these?" I asked. For all the years that I have known Yoichi, I never thought of him as somebody who would despise my sex. He seemed to be a ladies' man when we were a lot younger. I never knew how much he hated the doting attention women gave him.

As we go down the stairs and approach the crowd, there were a lot of people who looked familiar to me, the one's he had transactions and meetings with at home, but they don't know who I am because they never saw me inside the residence. I usually hid from everybody because Yoichi said that they might do something unforgivable to me or that they would take advantage of me being there and use me as their bait to get Yoichi under their control. However, the people who were his buddies from before were the only ones who stepped forward and greeted him first. Mr. Ichigo Shizuni was the first one to say hello and kiss my hands as I smile at him. "It's nice to meet you again, Miki. It's been a long time since we met. You are glowing as ever." He complimented me. "T-thank you, Mr. Shizuni." I replied.

"Now, now, Ich. Don't steal my woman." Yoichi smirked. "How are things doing?" he added. With that question, MR. Shizuni's face turned grim. I knew that was the time I should be out and about so that they could talk properly, however Yoichi's grip tightened and I looked at him questioningly and saw him look past Mr. Shizuni and to the four handsome men who are walking towards us.

"Ich, let's talk about this later, shall we? I have a plan and might as well join me with it." He whispered. Mr. Shizuni nodded and said, "I just hope our dear Miss Miki won't be in jeopardy? But I'm sure you know the consequences of bringing such a prized treasure of yours in this ruckus."

"I know the consequences, Chieko is also aware of them." Yoichi replied. Mr. Shizuni left as he faced me and chucked my chin jokingly and said, "Don't look so nervous and grim, princess. It doesn't suit you. I'll see you later and maybe you could dance with me, then?" He inquired. Mr. Shizuni is a friend and he has been so kind to me every time we meet when he visited Yoichi at home. I smiled and nodded.

"Seriously, your charms are unforgivable, aren't they?" Tsuyoshi teased. Tadao chuckled and Yoichi grinned. "Oh you people, stop it." I huffed. "He's a friend and he's nice." I added.

"Whatever you say, Miki." Tsuyoshi smiled. Just then, the four handsome men have reached us, and they all exchanged greetings with the men, briefly discussing business and the hotel. As they were talking, I looked at the men and notice that they are dangerously handsome. Any woman would fall for them but luckily, I am susceptible to these charms and I just smile as they glanced at me. One of the men, who appear to be quite close to Yoichi, the man with brown hair and brown eyes, wearing a suit with purple polo shirt must be the owner of the hotel. I've seen everybody in the crowd greet him warmly as if he's a king. Another man was also handsome, his hair's a bit long and his eyes were golden rather than brownish. He was wearing a black and red suit and he seemed to be a womanizer. The other has wavy brownish blonde hair. I think he's Mr. Ota Kisaki, the famous artist. And the other one looks old, probably the oldest of the lot. He had gray hair, with gray eyes. I think he's Mr. Mamoru Kishi, if I'm not mistaken.

Suddenly, the man in the red and black suit noticed I was looking at them and he smiled and winked at me. "Well, Mr. Tatsuo, who is this lovely woman you have by your side?"

"Ah yes, this is Miki." Yoichi replied. "Miki, this is Mr. Eisuke Ichinomiya, the owner of the hotel. I've had little transactions with him in the past. Quite a good man in business."

"It's nice to meet you, Ms. Miki." Mr. Ichinomiya smiled. I smiled and bowed. "It's a pleasure to meet you, sir." I replied. He laughed and added, "Oh don't call me that. Just call me Eisuke. After all, we'll be seeing each other often when I transact business with your partner."

"Oh. Okay. Eisuke." I smiled.

"And I'm Mitsunari Baba, your future husband, my lady. Call me Baba, please." The man in the red and black suit held my hand and kissed it. I blushed at his joke and Yoichi sighed.

"I'm Mamoru Kishi. I see you around before. I think we've met." Was all the gray old policeman said. "Call me Kishi." He added. I nodded and smiled.

"And I'm Ota Kisaki! Call me Ota!" the man with wavy hair greeted. He took my two hands and kissed them. "You look beautiful, mind if you dance with me later, too?" he asked.

"Uhh.." I glanced at Yoichi. He nodded. "Alright, Mr. Ota." I agreed.

"Please make yourselves at home and enjoy the night, Mr. Tatsuo. I'll just greet the other guests. If you'll excuse us." Eisuke said and he and the others left.

I could hear the wonderful music the orchestra's playing and I wanted to dance as I glance at the dance floor and I suddenly felt Yoichi touch my shoulder. "Yoichi?" I asked.

He came near my face and he whispered, "You know what you're supposed to do, right? Tour around the place; be entertaining as much as you can, dance with people that look decent. Tsuyoshi will accompany you. Are we clear on this, Eko?" He looked at me intently. His face is so near, I bet the others think it's a sweet gesture since they all think we're lovers. I nodded. "Go." Was all he said as he pushed me to Tsuyoshi's arms and he disappeared in the crowd.

"Miki, let's go." Tsuyoshi assisted me to the other side of the place and I was greeted with men who wanted to dance with me. "What am I supposed to do, Yoshi? I'm not used to this overwhelming amount of people so interested to have me all by themselves!" I whispered as men after men try to convince me to dance.

"You need to dance now." He led me to the dance floor as he swayed with the music, taking me with him while he glanced about the crowd, probably watching out for danger. "Miki, when somebody named Ryuichi came near you, run. Okay?" he asked. "O-kay?" I replied.

Why was this name so familiar? I closed my eyes as Tsuyoshi danced with me, thinking about who this Ryuichi is and then a blur of memories came crashing down on me and I suddenly opened my eyes with a gasp and looked sharply at Tsuyoshi.

"Ah you finally remembered. That's why you need to run." He said a cold glint in his eyes.

"So we meet again, Ms. Chieko Kazumi." A voice from behind us boomed. With a chilling laugh he added, "You look as exquisite as ever." My whole body froze as I recognized the laughter and the voice. Tsuyoshi also froze from dancing. Then and there, I finally knew what Yoichi's plan was.

He was using me as bait for the bad mafia leaders to come near Yoichi themselves so he can cross out which were the enemies and which were his allies. I was the danger magnet.

I slowly turned my head to the man whose voice woke up all the ghosts of the past in my mind and in my heart. I started to remember. "Care to dance?" he smiled. Tsuyoshi went in front of me to protect me but all Mr. Ryuichi did was to sigh and push Tsuyoshi aside and he fell down. Quickly, Ryuichi swooped me in his arms and twirled me around the dance floor away from Tsuyoshi. I was so frozen that I couldn't scream or even struggle away from his grip.

"You look gorgeous, ripe, and yummy." He said. "I wonder if your father knows how beautiful you've become." He laughed as I started to struggle when he said his final sentence "Let me go." I warned.

"Ooooh, we're getting a little bit feisty, aren't we? I like feisty!" He boomed and pulled me closer. I tried putting my arms between us to give us a distance and push him away but he was now leaning down on my face, his breath smells like shit. I moved my head to the side so that he won't be able to put his face near any of my facial parts.

"You smell sweet as well! I wonder if you taste just as much." He suddenly grabbed my face and made me face him. I closed my eyes shut and as I struggled and suddenly, a metal clink sounded near me and the iron grip that was holding me eased and I was pulled out of Ryuichi's disgusting grasp.

"You touch her, Ryuichi, you get three bullet holes in your brain." Tadao said and when I opened my eyes I was in Yoishi's arms. I was shaking as I took a look at the man who assaulted me and I shivered as I remembered his face and the memories coordinated with that foul man. I couldn't breathe and I wanted to kill him so bad that Yoichi started to shake me so that he could get my attention.

"This wasn't what I planned goddammit. I wanted them to come to us, but I didn't know this scumbag would be here." He grumbled as he took a look at Ryuichi. "You bastard better stay away from my woman or I swear to God, I'll shoot you in front of everybody." He warned.

"Do it then, pretty boy!" Ryuichi boomed as he took out his guns and pointed one at Tadao and another at Yoichi. I started to grab Yoichi's spare gun so that I could fight but his grip tightened on my waist. "No." He said. "Ichi, let me!" I said. At that moment, Tsuyoshi came running towards us and Yoichi tossed me onto him and yelled "Keep her away from here!"

If the crowd were oblivious to the assault Ryuichi was giving me a while ago, they were sure as hell bothered with the confrontation happening between Yoichi and Ryuichi and they panicked. I started to feel dizzy as Tsuyoshi and I moved to blend in with the crowd so that I'd be away from the ruckus. Just as we moved at the corner of the convention hall, there was a door leading to a veranda, which was dark and quite safe. Tsuyoshi let his grip loose on me and turned to face me.

"Miki, listen to me." he said, with grave urgency in his voice. "You will go inside that veranda and hide. You will not go out unless I come for you. Will you do that for me, please?" He asked me. I nodded. He smiled briefly.

"Good. I'll help Yoichi. Now go!" he pushed me towards the door and I gladly ran to it. I needed air to breathe. Ryuichi's assault and presence made me feel chaotic and scared. Scared of what will happen to me now that the past has been awakened in me.

As I ran into the door, I gladly welcomed the darkness and the comfort the veranda offered and I collapsed on the floor and I held myself as I shook from the trauma of the past and of tonight. I silently tried to shut the world out and prayed that the noise of chaos outside the solace the veranda gave me would stop and everything would return to normal.

Please, somebody help me.


	7. Chapter Six

**Chapter Six**

 _ **Soryu's POV**_

I knew I wouldn't have progress with my plan now that I'm hiding from the crowd outside. I sighed. I barely made it alive when I walked to the drinking table when women started to hover over me, asking me to dance with them. Damn Eisuke and his flirtatious events. I needed to hide from them once I got a drink. I think Eisuke needs to make an all boys only kind of event. That would be better.

I sighed as I looked at the view the veranda has offered me. I was facing the hotel's outside garden, decorated in low-lit lights to fill in a Victorian kind of ambiance since the party is somehow themed as such. The wind is kind of chilly for a night, probably because I'm facing a garden. However it helped me clear my head from my annoyance and to somehow keep my mind focused on one thing: alliances.

But the image of that mysterious girl kept on flashing in my mind and I feel frustrated. It's not the right time to think of something else, especially a woman who doesn't even matter to me. I started to go back inside when I heard a noise from the door. I hid myself in the shadows and waited as I silently grasped my gun inside my coat.

I heard footsteps and then suddenly a dark dress appeared and a woman stumbled in the veranda. She seemed shaken about something that she collapsed on the floor, hugging her knees as she covers her ears. She was breathing hard and she seemed to be stopping herself from crying and she was shivering.

The veranda was a bit dark but when I moved away from the shadows, I heard a commotion back inside the hall. I froze. Chaos is here. I started to leave the woman there lest she needed to collect herself but as I got near her, I was completely struck to who she was.

In the veranda, in the darkness alone with me…

I came face to face with the mystery woman who kept pestering my thoughts since I first laid eyes on her.

 _ **Chieko's POV**_

My thoughts were suddenly disturbed as I heard footsteps from behind me. I started to cower into the other corner when I came face to face with a tall man with sleeked back dark hair and grey unfathomable eyes. He seemed surprised to see me as well. We both stared at each other for quite some time until he cleared his throat and held his hand to me.

I couldn't seem to peel away my gaze on his face that it took me a while to notice he was helping me up. I looked at his hand and I quickly took it and he gently pulled me up and I leaned on the balcony's pillars. I looked at the scenery that unfolded in front of me and I felt a chill as the wind blew. Suddenly, I felt warm clothing cover my shoulders and I noticed that the man took off his coat and placed it on me. He must've seen me shiver when the wind blew.

I nodded my thanks as I stared out the scenery. I was too shy to look at him. He makes me feel a bit different, he's also deadly handsome like Mr. Eisuke and his friends were, but his mere presence makes me fuzzy and ticklish in my stomach. I feel confused. I wanted the silence to be gone; I needed to forget the incident inside. Somehow, his presence here with me, even though we are silent, I feel so comforted and safe.

I stared out the garden and I heard him clear his throat.

"Are you alright, Miss Miki?"

I slowly stared at him as my heart suddenly started thudding against my chest. Get a hold of yourself, I told myself. He just said your name. I forced a smile and nodded. "Yes, I guess."

"Having a bad night?" He asked. He was looking intently at me and I stared back. Oh Lord he was exquisite. He looked so handsome, however his face looked so familiar as well. As if I saw him from a magazine page or something.

"You know who I am." I stated. He knew I was Miki.

"The ladies who sabotaged me while I was getting a drink were talking about a beautiful woman in a Grecian gown." He plainly said.

"Ah. Women of those kind have tendencies to… uh… elaborate on things that pique their annoyance." I said.

"You looked frightened when you came in, somebody tried to assault you?" he asked. Wow he's sharp.

I nodded. "It's over now. For me, I guess. I just hope Yoichi gets him and he disappears." I said. Don't say too much, Chieko. I say to myself. Hide your identity. Don't give any information away.

"You seem not shaken anymore." He observed. I stopped shaking. Probably because he was here with me. I hugged myself as I rubbed my arms, feeling the fine fabric of his coat. "If I dwell on my fear of what happened in there, I will go crazy. It is best to forget and avoid it from happening again." I said. In my disbelief, as I was saying this, I felt that it was true.

"Very brave for a woman." He said. I looked at him and I noticed he was teasing me. He's not a businessman; he's not a butler either. Then what is he in this place?

"Who are you?" I blurted out.

"I'm Soryu Oh." He simply said. "And you, woman? What is your real name?" he inquired, his face getting closer to my face.

"You know my name's Miki." I stated. He was challenging me, waiting if I were to cower away from his intimidation. I was used to this kind of teasing from mafia bosses.

That's it. He's a mafia boss.

"I know Yoichi's hiding your name, Miss Miki. Who are you?" he whispered as his face came closer my face and his grey eyes challenging me to lie.

"If you are so interested on my identity, why don't you ask your men to look into my personal data, mafia boss?" I stated. His eyes widened at that, but only for a second. He slowly smiled and with our faces inches apart, "Very observant." He said.

I couldn't say anything else as he tries to interrogate me. I noticed that our faces were too close. I could feel myself smile at the challenge that I see in his eyes and I chuckled softly.

"What is a mafia boss doing in the darkness, when all the action," I tilted my head to the side to point at the door, "is in there?" I added.

"Women." He simple answered.

"Ah." I said. "An allergy of yours?" I asked.

He slowly nodded as his smile suddenly turns into a grin.

"I don't see you sneezing in my presence, Mr. Oh." I stated. "I must be a different specie of woman, then." I joked. He softly laughed and pulled his face away from mine, his eyes changing from a challenge to friendliness.

I wanted to hear his answer but a sudden gush of wind blew my long hair in front of my face. It took the wind a while to calm down and just when I was about to fix my hair, his hands shot out and he touched my face as he fixed my hair for me, tucking each curl behind my ears as he also removed the gold band Yoichi placed up on my head.

We looked at each other and I felt that somehow time stopped and as I looked at his eyes, I felt something turn in my mind. "Run, Chieko. This isn't a nice place to dwell on." A small voice screamed behind my head. But I couldn't move away, nor even look away.

Was it usually like this? You stare at a man and you feel weird?

Just then, he looked at my lips and then slowly up back at my eyes. And his face came closer once more. Slowly, achingly slow. "Push him away!" the small voice insisted. But I didn't want to. I couldn't.

"Miki?" I heard Tsuyoshi's voice call out from the door. And just like that, the spell vanished. Surprised, I whipped my head to where the voice came from.

"I-I'm here." I said.

I saw Tsuyoshi's arm reach out for me and gestured me out.

"Let's go, Miki." he said and I heard his footsteps move away from the door a little bit. He must be giving me time to collect myself. I looked back at Mr. Oh and he placed his index finger to his lips, tapping it softly three times, warning me to not tell Tsuyoshi he was there. Why? I nodded and I removed his coat and gave it back to him and I walked away.

I went to the door, but before I came near the light, he said, so softly that only the two of us could hear.

"Your name, my lady?"

I stopped and looked back at him. "Chieko." His eyes widened.

"My name is Chieko Kazumi." And with that I left him alone the veranda and went back to my companions.

Back in the hall, Yoichi ran to me and embraced me. "Are you alright?" he asked me once he stopped hugging me. "Yes. Ichi, let's go home." I said. He looked at me and he nodded. He told Tadao to get the car in front. Before we left, I looked back at the veranda as Tsuyoshi ushered me out. "Well something outside the veranda must've calmed you down, huh? Must be the scenery." Tsuyoshi joked. I smiled and nodded.

It wasn't a something…

It was more of a someone.


	8. Chapter Seven

**Chapter Seven**

 _ **Soryu's POV**_

I looked at the door where Miki left. Chieko Kazumi… The name gave so much of a shock to me because if my memory isn't wrong, she could be Natsume Kazumi's only daughter. However, as far as I know, nobody in our world knew that his only heir lived because it was reported years ago that his clan got ambushed and taken down by another mafia group and is now non-existent. Nobody knew he had a family to protect. Given the knowledge that Chieko Kazumi is living in Yoichi Tatsuo's protection made me more curious about his group more than I ever was. Damn it, I really need to gain his alliance. He's the only one we've got.

I took my phone out of my pocket and dialed Samejima's number as I went out of the veranda to go back up to the penthouse. "Sir?" he asked as he picked up.

"I need you to search for something. Do it right away and report to me immediately once you're done. Go to the penthouse with Inui." I ordered.

"Yes sir. What am I supposed to do? Find more information about Yoichi Tatsuo?" he asked. "No, search for a woman named Chieko Kazumi." I replied.

"Alright." And the call ended.

 _ **Chieko's POV**_

As soon as we got home, I asked Yoichi if I could go up to my room and rest. I was kind of a bit shaken up with what happened the entire night that I felt exhausted and very confused. He nodded and apologized for what happened between Ryuichi and me.

"I didn't know he'd be this audacious." Yoichi said. "He actually ruined my plan on finding Soryu Oh." He added. As I heard Mr. Oh's name my body suddenly froze and looked at him.

"What's wrong?" He inquired. I shook my head. "W-who's this Soryu Oh?" I asked. "An enemy of yours?" I asked.

"Enemy? Hell no! He's the leader of the Ice Dragons and he's the ally I want to have in this goddamn war. I was hoping he'd be glued to you since your charms are… uh… exotic. But I remembered he hated women as much as I do." Yoichi added.

Funny, he didn't seem to hate women when he was teasing me. After all, he was in the veranda hiding from the women who kept pushing themselves onto him. What a strange man. "I'll retire now, Yoichi. Good night. Tsuyoshi, Tadao, you guys should rest as well." I said and I headed up into my room.

So Soryu Oh's not an enemy, but an ally. This was the only thought that helped me feel relieved as I laid myself on the bed after I freshened up. Looking up into the darkness, I remember his face, his smile, and those eyes. My heart started to beat wildly again. I held my hand against my chest and closed my eyes. "Stop it, Chieko. He's just exotic, that's all." I feel weird and it scared me. it was only with Mr. Oh that I felt this confused. I never liked the faces of handsome men. Maybe because he's in the mafia that's why. However, he glowed with masculine authority that might've made weak women cower in fear, but I wasn't at all intimidated. He was just like Yoichi, but maybe more composed especially with anger management. I shook my head as I remembered how he placed his face near to mine while we were having banter at the veranda.

"Stop it." I told myself.

I feel myself feel a bit drowsy and the last thought that came in my head as I closed my eyes was turned into an actual statement.

"I wish I could see him more often."

And with that I fell into a deep comforting sleep.

 _ **Soryu's POV**_

"Well that ended quite… odd." Eisuke said as he removed his tie and threw it on the lounge couch. Hinata was waiting for us up here while the ball was happening.

"It's a good thing that nobody got hurt with the ruckus." She sighed as she rubbed her big belly.

"Well yeah, Soryu missed all the mafia fun though. Where were you hiding, anyway?" Baba asked.

"I was hiding in the veranda because the women won't get off my back." I honestly admitted.

"Sad, you didn't meet Yoichi's muse. We saw her and had a little chat with her too!" Ota said. I needn't be jealous, I actually met her and had her all alone in the veranda.

"Yeah. But you know, Yoichi seemed to be concealing her identity." Eisuke noted. I looked at him. He knew exactly, as he smirked at me, that I met her. "As if he's not telling everybody who she is, but he used her as a bait though, didn't he?" he added.

"Yeah, she has this mysterious aura around her." Baba said. "That's because she's not really known as Miki." Kishi added.

"What do you mean?" Ota asked.

I've had enough of this and I started to rise from my seat when I heard Samejima's voice.

"Her name's Chieko Kazumi, the only daughter and heir of Natsume Kazumi, the leader of the old Blue Lions mafia group. She seemed to be a year younger than Sir Soryu and that she resides under Yoichi's protection." He stated.

"A mobster princess?" Baba asked as he looked at me.

"That all you can find?" I asked Samejima. "Ahh. You had her checked." Esiuke teased. I ignored their teasing stares and asked Samejima.

"Why so minimal information, Samejima?" I demanded.

"It took me a lot of effort to get those information. She seemed to be well protected. Yoichi Tatsuo did a pretty good job hiding her." Samejima said.

Yoichi barred all means of finding out about his woman. Impressive. He would go to such lengths just to protect her. She must be somebody very valuable either to him or for the mafia group as well.

RIIIIIING

"Sir, your phone's ringing." Inui remarked. I have a call from somebody. This is odd.

"Hello?" I asked.

"Soryu Oh. It's been a long time, buddy." An unfamiliar voice sounded at the other line. Is this Yoichi?

"Yoichi?"

"Damn right."

"What bring you calling me at this time of the night?"

"We need to talk. I'm guessing you're aware as to why?"

"Of course."

"Old Soryu, sharp as always. Haha"

"Shut up."

"Come by my place, 10 am tomorrow? Spend time with my familia, have lunch after we've talked through?"

"Sure thing, Yoichi."

"Alright. I'll see you later then."

"Alright."

Yoichi himself called me. He wanted to make an alliance as soon as possible, I guess.

"Speaking of the devil?" Eisuke asked.

"Samejima, Inui. You better go home and rest. Meet me here at 9 am. We meet Yoichi Tatsuo at his place at 10. Do not be late, got it?" I said as I stood up and went to my room.

Looks like an alternate plan was happening. I feel somehow relieved and anxious all at the same time.

I'm seeing a long time friend to form an alliance that would help me finish this war.

And somehow…

I'm hoping I'll get a glimpse of Chieko Kazumi as well.


	9. Chapter Eight

**Chapter Eight**

 _ **Soryu's POV**_

The Black Mamba head quarters, or shall I say, Yoichi Tatsuo's home is very big and spacious. It looks like a traditional house when you look at it from the outside but it is actually very Westernized once you go inside. His men, the other members of the mafia, ranging from the scariest to the weakest looking men bowed over to where I was standing when Yoichi introduced me and welcomed me as if I am their master as well. Yoichi trained his men well.

I wonder how they treat Chieko Kazumi…

I shouldn't be thinking of her. I need to be more focused in the business at hand. As Inui, Samejima, and I enter a room where Yoichi pointed us to go in, we all started to discuss about the alliance that we both need.

"It's been a long time, Soryu. How have you been?" Yoichi asked as he crossed his legs once he sat on the couch in front of where I sat. This must be his private study because it doesn't look like the people inside the house have used it.

I had Inui and Samejima sit by the corner and observe lest they see something very different. So far nothing weird happened and somehow I fell quite comfortable talking to Yoichi. It is as if everything has been brought back when we were kids.

We were in the middle of the conversation when we heard noises outside. I looked at Samejima and Inui and they shrugged. "Yoichi, what's going on?" I started to rise from my seat and grab my gun from my coat but Yoichi smiled and shook his head. "You won't be needing that." he said as he got out of his chair and opened the door.

"Samo, the usual?" he yelled. And a voice boomed from somewhere downstairs an approval. "Ahh. Something to entertain you gentlemen, I guess." He smirked as he went to the window and looked at what the chaos was all about. He gestured us to follow where he was and pointed outside.

"Yoichi, why aren't you doing anything?" I asked. I saw the Mamiya twins hiding a woman with brown hair, which was topped into a bun up in her head at their backs as they face thugs who wore black. I froze.

They're protecting Chieko Kazumi from those thugs. I somehow panicked because the Mamiya twins aren't enough to take those men down. I took a closer look at Chieko and she doesn't seem scared. She looked at the men as she peered at the shoulders of the twins. She's a tiny woman, and she's impressive because she isn't doing anything that could jeopardize their safety.

"Mr. Tatsuo, they're gonna harm her if you don't help them!" Inui cried. Yoichi laughed. "Mr. Tatsuo, aren't you concerned for your woman's welfare?" Samejima asked.

What the hell is Yoichi doing here just watching his woman get hurt? I felt the huge urge to kill Yoichi and save the damsel myself but the next statement that Yoichi said took me off guard that my mind lost every decent though I could think of.

"Oh they'll survive. Chieko's there."

"How, sir? They're outnumbered!" Inui said. "Watch." Yoichi said.

And we did.

It was as if my breath was caught in my throat as I watch the men lurch toward the twins and they pushed Chieko back so that they won't get near her. I kept looking at Chieko, hoping that I could break the glass and take her in my arms and kill those thugs myself.

"What do they want from them?" Inui asked, his eyes focused on the twins and sometimes would dart to Chieko.

"They want Chieko, of course." Yoichi said calmly. "I still could not understand why are you so calm about this, Mr. Tatsuo." Samejima said.

"Don't you love her enough to sacrifice your life for her? They're going to take her away from you!" Inui cried. I looked at Yoichi and I realized he was looking at me. He cocked one eyebrow, as if he was telling me he could read my thoughts and he slowly smiled. His eyes slowly moved to the view outside and said.

"Here's why." He nodded towards the scene.

We all gathered in the window to see what he was talking about and we all gasped at what we saw.

The twins were fighting the men off, one by one. The enemies somehow hit them but they rise up every time the thugs get near Chieko. However, the muse in danger was standing there, not crying or cowering in fear, but she looked so _bored_ as she watched the men fight for her.

What the hell?

What happened next made us look like idiots because when Yoichi turned to look at us, he burst out laughing.

As the Mamiya twins were fighting the men, Chieko slowly climbed a vined wall and she crawled into a little place wherein she was hidden from the men who forgot her existence.

"Brace yourself, men." Yoichi said.

As I looked closer to where Chieko was hiding, I realized she was laughing and she excitedly cocked a rifle as she silently aimed it at the men who were hurting her friends. My eyes widened at what I saw as she shot the men, however she only shot them too close as not to hurt them, one by one, surprising them of the attack. She shot them as to make them gather into one place and she shot the ground near to where they stood so that they'd back off. She continued to do this until the men were leaning into their car and they finally retreated.

The Mamiya twins brushed off dusts from their clothing and turned to the place where Chieko hid and she jumped up and waved wildly as I hear her melodious laugh. Her laughter made the twins smile. Even from afar, you would know that they are smitten with Chieko. I guess everybody in this place is. She jumped down and embraced each twin in each of her arms as she skipped her way in through the gate.

"What the hell did I just see?" Inui and Samejima said all at the same time. I still looked at the place where she somehow danced happily as she walked towards the twins.

She was magnificent even when she was just wearing house clothes.

"That, gentlemen, was our infamous secret sniper." Yoichi grinned.

"You mean to say that Chieko's your famous sniper?!" Inui asked.

Yoichi nodded. "You don't expect a Black Mamba princess to be a damsel in distress. Especially that virago down there. She wanted to learn our ways since she is, after all, one of us." Yoichi explained. "However, what we never expected from her was that she would out skill us all, and she literally beat me into agreeing to let her shoot people who bother the peaceful lifestyle of my residence." He laughed. "Nobody has every tried to reach our gates ever since her secret role commenced."

"Miss Miki's very fascinating, isn't she?" Samejima said as he pointed a picture of Chieko propped up in Yoichi's desk. She was wearing a long sleeved mint green dress, her hair being blown by the wind, and she smiled so happily, her usual pink blush evident in her cheeks.

Yoichi took the picture from his desk and lovingly looked at the woman in the image as he softly said, "Yes. She really is."

Suddenly, there was a knock on the door.

"Sir, the mistress is here."

Yoichi nodded. "We'll be right down." And the door closed.

We all went down to greet Chieko and the twins. As I descend the stairs I notice the men line up accordingly by the living room and the look in their eyes make me smile. It is usually a custom for them to gather around and wait for their clan princess to come back. I wondered if I would be able to make the men from Ice Dragons to do the same if ever I brought home a woman. I pictured Chieko opening the door to my office and I stop myself before I imagine more.

What am I thinking? She's not mine.

"When she first got here, she was just too adorable that all of my men were so taken with her that whenever she went out of our house, they would scramble back by the door and wait for her whenever they hear her footsteps come near the gate and welcome her home. I never ordered them to, but they did it anyway. So it somehow became a custom." Yoichi smiled as he leaned in the doorframe of the living room as we all waited for Chieko's arrival.

"Do you mind if you guys wait for her as well? Get to experience greeting a mafia princess when she's away?" Yoichi winked at me. Somehow I feel he knows.

And no, I don't mind. If I was even given a chance to wait on her everyday, I would.

I could her Chieko's cheerful voice as she walked with the twins and when the knob of the front door opened and everybody saw her enter as she yelled, "I'm home!" We were shocked because the men, in chorus greeted her "Welcome home, Miki!" I saw her eyes turn tender as she looked at the men one by one and the smile she placed on her lips were genuine and beautiful that I couldn't take my eyes off of her. "Wah! I love you all!" she added. And I could literally hear some of the men sigh and some murmur their replies.

"Don't we get a greeting too?" Tsuyoshi asked. The men mumbled their disgust and left the living room. This made Chieko laugh as she stuck out her tongue out at Tsuyoshi.

What a tease this woman is.

"We have guests, Miki." Yoichi spoke. I noticed that his voice may sound firm, but the way he looked at her betrayed what his voice sounded.

I waited for her to look at us and it made my heart stop. Her eyes widened as she saw me and she gasped.

"Oh." She suddenly bowed and when she raised her head, she looked at me. We both looked at each other as Yoichi introduced me to her.

"Miki, I'd like you to meet Soryu Oh, the head of Ice Dragons. He's a good friend of mine when I was a child. And these are his men, Inui Ryosuke and Samejima Koichi."

She moved her head to the side as she smiled. "I don't think you guys have met?" Yoichi looked back and forth to me and to her as he noticed that our eyes were having a conversation only the two of us knew.

"N-no. This is the first." She feigned ignorance of our meeting at the veranda.

"It's nice to meet you, Mr. Oh."

And with that I slowly smiled.


	10. Chapter Nine

**Chapter Nine**

 _ **Cheiko's POV**_

I wasn't sure on why my heart wasn't calming down when I realized that Mr. Oh was inside my house. I knew that he wasn't here to see me, he had some business with Yoichi about the mafia war and I knew he wasn't interested in me. But still, my heart keeps thudding inside my chest as if it's going to burst in any minute. The way he smiled at me made me feel so anxious because he knew I denied the day that we met at the veranda. Yoichi wouldn't like me lying to him, but I needed to hide that moment because it felt surreal that I become so selfishly attuned to hiding it for myself because it was the very first time I felt so confused and safe, and somehow happy.

All because it was there that I met this man. This man who stared at me, his eyes, challenging to create another lie. I was so embarrassed that I had to look away. I felt the disappointment and curiosity in him.

"Hello, Black Mamba's princess. I'm Soryu Oh, and these are my men Inui Ryosuke and Samejima Koichi. We are here to create an alliance with your clan so that we could both stop this ridiculous mafia war. Are you aware of it?" Soryu asked me, his eyes filled with mirth that I knew he was laughing at me in his thoughts because I'm completely at loss for words. I blushed because I was embarrassed, not because of the way he rode with the lie I said, but with how he gently smiled at me. I notice, from the corner of my eye that even Tsuyoshi's noticing something.

I made a bow and smiled at the two young men behind Soryu as they gape at me as if I was some kind of treasure that they want to take care of. Did I do something?

Soryu glanced behind him and glared at the men because he noticed they were looking at me the way some of the men in our house did. I suppressed a giggle because they were all too cute that I wanted to befriend them immediately.

"You have adorable men, Mr. Oh. I bet they are fun gems to be around?" I smiled. He looked at me and didn't answer for a little while and he said, "Of course."

I don't know how long we were staring at each other, but I jumped at the sound of Yoichi clearing his throat and his hand rested on my back. "I'm afraid, Soryu and I need to talk about more pressing matter. You will behave yourself while I'm not here, right?" He teased. I rolled my eyes and walked away, but before I went up to my room, I looked back at Soryu and his men and smiled.

"Please, make yourselves at home." Inui and Samejima bowed and smiled at me as they nodded their agreement, whereas Soryu just smiled and looked at me. His stare was making me feel warm and I didn't know what to do so I immediately asked Yoichi whether they'd be having lunch with us and Yoichi nodded.

"Okay, then. I'll see you later at lunch." I smiled and ran off to my room.

When I finally closed my door, I leaned on it and I can slowly feel my heart's erratic beating as I touched my chest and I slid on the floor and I just sat there, staring at nothing and I waited for my heart to calm down, and for my mind to settle with an idea. I stared outside my window and I can see everything so calm and beautiful. The exact feeling of what I am right now. I sighed as I glanced at the picture of my mother on my bookshelf.

"Mother, what should I do?"

 _ **Soryu's POV**_

I somehow managed to make her feel a bit uncomfortable. I was feeling a bit annoyed with how she denied the mere fact that we already met. But I guess her Yoichi wouldn't understand or like the idea she was alone with me, or even the thought of me wanting to kiss her that night, either so I guess I somehow understood.

She was a charmer, alright. However, she wasn't aware of it.

The way Samejima and Inui fell for her spell proved that. It only took them a simple smile and they were already smitten. I would've laughed at their naiveté, but I knew I was also on the brink of falling for her spell, so I sighed at that.

"Soryu, are you listening to me?" Yoichi asked as I stared out his window while we discussed what we were supposed to do. I took a look at Yoichi, he seemed unconcerned about the way my men looked at his woman, I guess he was used to people loving her instantly. He looked so serious that I remembered how free spirited he was when we were kids. Time changes things, and people most of the time.

"So you're saying, that the main promoter of this war is Ryuichi's clan?" I asked. Ryuichi, the most notorious mafia lord in our world, has been declaring all out wars for clans with different philosophies from theirs. Given this, he wants to destroy my clan and Yoichi's. He plans on slowly devouring the remaining clans who stand for humane ways and rational thinking. I have heard of this man's reputation. He used people only because they are convenient to his benefit and once he's done with you, you die. He also loves pestering women and he uses them in the most carnal way that women usually hide and would rather kill themselves once they realize that Ryuichi has set their eyes on them.

"Yes, and I need your help to fight with me. He has influenced a lot of groups and it scares me because our kind's number is very minute compared to his allies. We need all the strength and ideas we can get. I won't let him destroy my clan the way he did to the Kazumi's." he said.

"Kazumi's?" I asked. He was referring to Natsume Kazumi, whose clan got annihilated from our world because Ryuichi wanted something from him that he didn't give. He killed every one of Testu's clan members in cold blood. The Kazumi mafia is now considered extinct for nobody stepped up to take charge and sustain the life blood of the group. It's either Ryuichi succeeded in erasing every Kazumi in this world or the survivors were too afraid to make the group live.

"Yes. Natsume Kazumi's clan. So please, help me out." Yoichi said.

I nodded. "I actually planned on talking to you last night, however, I got in trouble and I couldn't come near you." I explained. Yoichi smiled at that. "What a coincidence, I wanted to speak with you last night. Ryuichi was there and he caused chaos. But thanks to his idiocy, I saw who were his allies and which ones were with us." He said.

Yoichi was always clever with these kinds of things. I was impressed. However, I realized that the means of getting his plan done was somewhat wrong and dangerous.

He used Chieko in this plan as bait. I knew that Chieko was aware, she openly accepted it knowing that she was used as a bait for the notorious clan members to show themselves. After all, no notorious mafia boss who is in their right mind would refuse a beautiful woman such as she is.

"You used your woman to get your plan done, didn't you?" I asked. Yoichi sighed and nodded. "Now I have placed her in grave danger because Ryuichi knows her and he wants to possess her. A lot of those scumbags do." He explained. I just nodded at this as I thought about the way she was shaking from fright and shock when I saw her outside the veranda.

She may be a sniper, but she needs to be protected.

"Saying this, I go on to one of the deals I want to make with you." Yoichi said silently.

"What is it?" I asked. It took Yoichi a while to say what he wanted from me asides from the alliance that the room became more tense than it was before. He looked at me right in they eye, asking me silently to give my word as he said, "When things go bad, or when I know that the war Ryuichi will bring is upon my clan," he started.

"Can you please take Miki under your refuge until this war is over?" he said.

I fell silent to that. He wanted me to protect Chieko when things get too dangerous. I finally understood. He wanted to protect her because he knew that once he showed her face to every living villain in this mafia world, he knew they will use her as bait to make him bow down to their orders. He didn't want Chieko getting hurt more than she has been damaged already.

I nodded. "I will."

"Can I trust you on this?" he asked.

"Yes."

"Thank you, Soryu. She isn't really difficult to be with. In fact, she'll take care of you guys as much as you need her to do so." He smiled. The way his eyes sparkled and softened when it was Chieko we're talking about brought about a little jealousy in me. I nodded.

We went about the usual business, talked about strategies and assigned each other with different tasks until one of his men called us for lunch and the serious meeting about the alliance ended. Chieko didn't come down for lunch, Tsuyoshi said that she must be full from what she ate while they were outside a while back. I didn't see her since then.

The day dragged on and we needed to go back to the office so I said my good byes to Yoichi and his men, saying that we'll meet each other often at Tres Spades, Eisuke's hotel and went out of the Black Mamba head quarters. As I walked to my car, I felt that somebody was staring at me and I absentmindedly looked up and saw Chieko by her window, looking at me as I depart her home. I smiled and made a simple waving gesture.

She softly smiled and she held her hand up as a wave. We looked at each other for a while and Inui finally called me from inside the car and I left.

I sighed as we were on our way back to the office. I wanted to think. I wasn't myself the entire day. I decided to have them drop me off to the hotel.

All day I only thought of her, I wanted to get to know her and talk to her but somehow our eyes were the only ones doing the conversations. Conversations that even we both don't know and understand what they were saying to each other.

I was quite happy that things went according to plan. I had the alliance I needed, we had plans and strategies, what's left of us to do is wait and get ready.

But most importantly, I was glad because I saw her.

 _ **Yoichi's POV**_

I watched Soryu leave my place from my study while Tsuyoshi looked with me. I was quite glad things were okay with the alliance and plans. Soryu has been the most reliable fellow ever since we were children. Growing up more freely than he did, I somehow managed to see him so rigid and unhappy, growing up being trained immediately to be a mafia group's successor. It comforts me seeing him quite happy with what he has become. He's also the most trustworthy mafia boss ever.

However, I felt uncomfortable with the way Chieko behaved when he's around. She never acted so shy and weird around any guy at all. Even with me. The way their eyes made hushed conversations as they looked at each other didn't sit right with me. However, the way I saw Chieko's eyes light up when she realized that Soryu was here made me realize that Soryu is the perfect person to leave Chieko with. As much as possible, if I were to die from this war, I want somebody who would take care of Chieko as much as I could.

But I'm not ready to give her up to anybody yet.

Right at that exact moment, I saw Soryu glance back to my place, but he was looking up at something by the right side of my house and as he made a simple gesture of a good-bye wave, I knew he was saying goodbye to my Chieko. I never saw Soryu smile this tenderly before.

He is also taken with Chieko, I can feel it.

"You better watch out for Chieko, Yoichi." Tsuyoshi grimaced. He was also jealous, I can tell. I smiled at him and punched his shoulder and turned away from the window and I head to my door.

"He is taken with her, I'm sure you've noticed that. Don't you think he's using you to get to her?" Tsuyoshi mentioned. I laughed as I opened my door.

"Soryu Oh is an honorable man. I've known him for years." I said.

"Yoichi he's kinda in love with her." Tsuyoshi added with panic and disbelief in his eyes. He was shocked I wasn't offended or even worried that Soryu might whisk away our princess right under our noses. I knew Soryu's too honorable to do that. I looked back at Tsuyoshi before I went out my study and shook my head.

"Aren't we all?"

I closed the door behind me, leaving a dumbfounded Tsuyoshi in my wake. If things do come into where Soryu falls in love with Chieko, I'm not afraid.

I know where Chieko's loyalty and heart lies.

And that place is here and nowhere else.


	11. Chapter Ten

**Chapter Ten**

 _ **Chieko's POV**_

It was eleven o'clock in the evening when Yoichi and the others had missions somewhere near the city. I felt restless because I was left all alone here at home. I know Yoichi instructed me not to go out alone, but as I scanned the different ingredients I wanted to buy for the meal I'll be preparing for them when they return, I quickly brush off his warning of punishment and think that he'll be enjoying my cooking anyway.

It was always a Black Mamba tradition that whenever they were back from a mission, food will always be their first thing to come home to. Some of their missions are too strenuous even for the fittest of the lot, they need food to somehow cheer them up and recuperate them.

I thought of making curry for them since it was their favorite meal. I smiled as I imagine Samo and the others' reactions to my cooking and I feel a lot energized and positive that the mission would be successful and everybody would be okay and safe. I prayed they always came home back to me with smiles on their faces, no matter how dirty they got from the working, as long as they came home in one piece, I was at ease. I started to pave my way to the cashier when I glanced upon a nice book and I picked it up and bought it together with the ingredients.

I looked up at the watch displayed by the top of the cashier and it said that it was past midnight. I need to be going home soon. Suddenly, the thought of Soryu Oh came in my mind and I felt color rush into my cheeks. He has been visiting our home recently and although I have been avoiding him, we seem to find ways in which we accidentally meet and we converse from time to time.

Would it be silly for me to actually miss him even if we haven't made any kind of bond even as friends? I actually stare at him from afar, whenever they were practicing shooting, I always looked at him even though Yoichi wanted me to look at his aim and be impressed. My mind usually wanders around what he would look like each time he saw me, each time we smile at each other and I could not get used to the way my heart beats when he's around. I am still confused as to what do I want when it comes to Soryu, but somehow, as much as it is as a confusion to me, I feel happy and elated whenever I get a glimpse of him.

He is, it seems to me, a breath of fresh air from all the things that I see every single day of my life.

"Uh miss? Are you paying for all of these in cash or charge?" the cashier woman asked. I snapped out of my thoughts and said I'd be paying in cash as I laughed sheepishly. I have to stop thinking about Soryu if I want to have decent conversations with people.

As I start to depart from the convenience store, I could feel myself being watched. Even though my nerves were telling me to panic, I needed to calm down because if I were to put my emotions of fear first in this situation, I will definitely get myself in a bind. After all, this has happened to me millions of times so I think I could manage to save myself somehow. As I got near home, I passed by my usual route of going to the children's playground because it was safer and it was a wonderful night to look at the sky.

As I arrive by the playground, the light post was the only illumination there, but the moon was high up in the sky and it looked so beautiful that I had the urge to look at it and close my eyes again and just enjoy the solace this quiet place has given me for now. As the wind blew, I noticed that I was still being watched, but somehow my hunches was finally telling me that I shouldn't be afraid because I know this person who's following me. As the wind blew and everything around me move, I smelled the only scent that has gotten my heart beat more than it actually did since that day in the past.

Soryu Oh was in this place with me. He followed me here.

I talked to him for a bit and teased him before I went back home because I know that Yoichi will throw a fit once he knew I'm not at home. and as I looked back at him for the last time, I had the sudden urge to run back to him and ask him to help me figure things out. But I knew that beside him was not where I am supposed to be so I reluctantly left without a goodbye and hurried home.

As I arrived upon the house, I heard noises right by the front of the gate so I carefully walked back and hid in the shadows so that I could surprise the men since from their arrival back home. However, it wasn't Yoichi and the men who were there in my house.

My feet suddenly had its own will and let me hide in the bushes where I could see the full view of what was happening. I grasped the plastic bag and the book closer to me as I curled up and looked restlessly at the people who seemed to be arguing in front of my house. My nerves were telling me to run and hide, but I couldn't move at all. I wanted to help the people who were being bullied, but I couldn't move myself. Somehow this scene brings back memories from my past in blurry paces that I felt myself finding it difficult to breathe.

I watched as shouting about something about allies and orders were being brought up. I couldn't see the ones oppressed because huge men were blocking my view. But the man's face was so familiar but I couldn't point my finger at who they were. I closed my eyes as to not see what was happening because I could hear them grunting and punching each other and I knew they were fighting. I knew I needed to do something but I couldn't move.

Even when I heard Samo's voice.

My eyes opened and saw the scene in which I knew will be imprinted on my mind forever. The men who were being oppressed were Samo and Mr. Ichigo Shizuni. They were battling against men who wore black and they were huge. Why were Mr. Shizuni and Samo together? I recall Samo leave with Yoichi tonight. They were probably here to check up on me and I felt my blood turn cold.

They were dangerously out numbered and I knew that they couldn't stand on their own. I opened my mouth to shout but I couldn't. I need to help them. I still couldn't move. I was in a state of shock and it got a lot worse when I suddenly heard Mr. Shizuna yell, "You will not drag Miki here! She's innocent from all of this! If I were to die protecting her then so be it!" I stopped. It was as if time stopped and everything was happening slowly. I watched there, shaking from fear, as they stabbed Mr. Shizuna over and over again, and they shot Samo while he tried to protect Mr. Shizuna from getting more injured.

I couldn't do anything as they fell to the ground, blood spilled all over the place and the men who did this to them left as quickly as they could. The wind was blowing again, this time I didn't feel comforted. It served as a wake up call that I had to help them now or they'll die there. I found myself moving on its own as I staggered to where Mr. Shizuna and Samo were lying. I could see that they were unconscious and somehow the dreadful thought of them dying made me shiver that I pushed myself to run faster to where they were.

I knelt in the middle of their bodies as I shook them awake. I touched Mr. SHizuna's shoulders and shook him gently, feeling his neck for a pulse. It was so faint that I started to freak out and tap his face and call out to his face.

"Mr. Shizuna? Mr. Shizuna, please wake up! Please!" I slowly shook him, as his blood stains my hands and I don't care. What mattered at that moment was for me to open his eyes and know that he'll be alright. To my great relief, Mr. Shizuna opened his eyes when he heard my voice. His eyes were glossy and unfocused, I needed to let him stay conscious. His eyes suddenly looked into my eyes and his lips formed a shy smile. I froze.

"G-good. Y-yo-ur're s-s-afe." He whispered. I shook my head as I tried stopping my tears. "You'll be alright, Mr. Shizuna. Stay with me, please. Please!" I pleaded. He somehow managed to chuckle at my pleading and he held my had.

"If I asked you to marry m-m-me… w-would y-you s-say… yes?" he joked. This wasn't the time to joke but I forced myself to make myself as I nodded. "You need to make yourself heal first, then we'll talk about it."

He smiled. He was turning paler and paler by the minute and I need to ask for help. I groped myself for a phone, but I couldn't feel it anywhere me. I started to yell help to the darkness. I couldn't leave them behind. The men might come back for them. I called out for help over and over again, screaming at the top of my lungs even if my voice was shaking from my failure to control myself.

Mr. Shizuna's grip on me suddenly tightened and I looked at him.

"It's okay, Chieko… I-I-'m re-ad-y." he said. He was trying to talk more clearly but I hushed him and caressed his face to console him of his pain. "Hold on to me, Mr. Shizuna, okay?" I said. "Help will be coming soon." He smiled.

I stared at Samo and as Mr. Shizuna held my hand, I shook Samo in the other. I tried looking for a pulse, but I couldn't find any. I shook him. I was panicking and I just watched them die. "Samo! Samo! Wake up, Samo! We still have to go eat takoyaki tomorrow, remember? Samo!" I yelled. Samo's dead. I knew this, but my mind was too stubborn to let the fact sink in me that I wanted him to open his eyes, even for just a little while.

"Say, Chieko." I heard Mr. Shizuna whisper. I turned to look at him, my eyes frantic as I see him close his eyes.

"Will you say my name, Chieko?" He said. He wanted me to call him Ichigo. I never called him as such because I was too shy to do so.

"Ichigo. Hold on, Ichigo. Yoichi and the others are on their way home. Hold on to me, please!" I said. But all he did was smile and said, "Thank you, Chieko." And his grip on me loosened until his hand fell on the ground. I felt his neck for a pulse, but like Samo, I no longer feel anything anymore.

My eyes began to water and I started to cry.


	12. Chapter Eleven

**Author's Note: Hello, everybody! Sorry I have been quite slow at uploading chapters, that's because I am very busy with arranging my practicum and household duties. I'll update more soon, but if I don't then that means I'm busy with thesis life and practicum life haha! Thank you for reading my story ^_^ 3**

 **Chapter Eleven**

 _ **Yoichi's POV**_

I thought I would see a Chieko that was smiling when I got home. I thought that I would eat something delicious that she made and we would laugh about how awful the mission was. I thought that when I saw her once more that she'd be laughing, her eyes sparkling with mirth and admiration for my men and me. That's what I thought as I stared at her crouched on the ground between the lifeless bodies of Ichigo and Samo. Her shoulders were shaking and she was somehow covered with blood. I can hear her cries from where she sat and my heart was torn when I look at her but my body couldn't do anything. I could feel the men gather around behind me and I could hear the others whisper a curse. They were all waiting for me to make a move. We all knew this was Ryoichi's doing. he was trying to get Chieko from me in order for me to undermine me.

Ichigo and Samo fought to save her. They fought for my clan and as a result they died. I could feel anger sweep up into my system and I could feel myself shake. I slowly took steps toward where Chieko cried, avoiding the dead bodies beside her. As I reached her, I hear her hiccups and cries and my eye start to water. I knelt beside her and held her shoulders. She jumped at the touch, fearing maybe I might be one of the men who killed her friends and that I came back to finish the deed off. She slowly recognized my touch and she slowly raised her head. Her eyes were swollen from crying, her nose running from all the snot as she cried. Her hair was in disarray, her usual blush evident, yet her lips were pale and she was shaking. Her eyes showed great pain that sent my heart hurting as well.

"Ichi… I tried…" she whispered. I nodded as I held her shoulders, pulling her to me slowly. "I tried, Ichi. I tried." She locked her arms around my neck and she sobbed. She kept on shaking her head and she was saying something about trying to let them stay with her but she couldn't.

"I was there, I hid in the bushes when the men killed them… I couldn't move. I was too scared. I remembered…" she cried. I wanted to take all the pain away from her but all I could right at that moment was to hold her. I scanned the faces of my men who were either too shocked or too moved by how they saw Chieko when we got home. I looked at Tsuyoshi who stood beside the body of Samo, his body shaking with rage and as Tadao tried to calm him down, I shook my head and Tadao left his brother alone.

"What are we going to do, Yoichi? He's going after Chieko." Tsuyoshi asked. He gritted his teeth as he tried stopping his tears.

"Call Soryu Oh." I said. He looked at me, bewildered that I would call upon my friend at a time like this and he glanced at Chieko in my arms, helplessly crying, and he finally understood.

 _ **Soryu's POV**_

I knew that I was taken with Chieko the moment that I felt myself feel lonely as I watched her walk away from me in that incident in the playground. As I sat in the dark in my sofa, I closed my eyes and remembered the way she smiled in the picture frame that Yoichi had in his study. She was so beautiful and divine that I knew she was too fragile, even if she can fight; I knew that she would be in danger sooner or later. A woman like her shouldn't be in our world. She deserves much better. With that I felt my heart sink.

I wanted to continue on pondering and imagining her face when my phone started to ring. I answered to a shaking voice of Tsuyoshi Mamiya. From his voice, I knew something's wrong.

"Mr. Oh. We need you here at the clan residence. Please make haste. Bring men with you." Tsuyoshi said and before I could even reply he ended the call. I hastily called Inui and Samejima and I also called upon my other men and drove straight to where Chieko and Yoichi were.

Upon my arrival, I could see the front of their house somehow lowly lit. As I walked nearer the place, I noticed the ground was tinted with blood. Something happened here and a chill went down my spine. I quickly knocked on the door and I was let inside. As I entered the hall, I could see everybody gathered over something and as I got nearer, I noticed that they were gathered by two black body bags and I stopped cold. I noticed Chieko was beside both, her head down, and she was clutching at both. She was crying, I could tell. Her voice was the only feminine cry I could hear around the room. I scanned the group of people in front of me and they all look so desolate and forlorn and angry that I knew someone has killed their comrades.

"You see, I lost two of my best people, Soryu." I heard Yoichi speak as he stood beside me. His voice was quiet, yet it was filled with pure hatred and it only reflected in the cold glint in his eyes as he stared at the way Chieko mourned over the two dead bodies. "Who are they?" was all I asked.

"Ichigo Shizuna and Samo, one of Chieko's closest here in the mafia." He stated.

No wonder Chieko was so sad when I looked at her. She was the type of person who actually loved everybody in her household, and I can see that. I took a glance at her again and I saw her being embraced by Tsuyoshi Mamiya and she clung onto him as she cried and cried for the fallen people who protected her. Tsuyoshi tried to console her through rubbing his hands along her hair however he broke down and he embraced Chieko as tightly as he could. I tried so hard to tear my gaze away from how they have embraced each other.

"Why did you summon me here, Yoichi?" I asked the man who also looked at what I was also looking at. "Do you remember the deal I asked of you?" He replied, his gaze still stuck on the embrace Tsuyoshi was giving Chieko. I can tell by the fire in his eyes that his mood was getting surlier every minute and seeing Chieko being embraced by Tsuyoshi isn't helping him alleviate the surliness.

"What's going on?" I asked Yoichi.

Yoichi looked at me and he grinned that made my blood go cold.

"Ichigo and Samo died, protecting Chieko."

 _ **Chieko's POV**_

"Ichigo and Samo died, protecting Chieko." When I heard my name I suddenly glanced up and saw Soryu Oh standing by the far side of the room with Yoichi. They were both looking at me and my heart stopped. I started to loosen my grip on Tsuyohsi and he moved away to give me space. I don't know what I was doing, but as my eyes locked on Soryu's I just had the huge urge to walk to him and find the comfort I have been looking for ever since Mr. Shizuna and Samo died.

My feet slowly walked towards to where they were, my feet tumbling each other when I walked towards them. I couldn't keep my balance anymore for my eyes blurred and I cried new fresh tears and Yoichi caught me before I collapsed on the ground. I could feel Yoichi's strong grip steady me as I got myself together but my eyes were on Soryu the entire time.

I didn't mean to but I fought to get away from Yoichi's grip and somehow stand in front of Soryu Oh. As I stared at his gray unfathomable eyes, I could feel myself break and I wiped my eyes as I felt hot tears fall on my cheeks. "Please." I whispered as I turned my head up and looked at him straight to his face.

I was too desperate, too lonely in this placed that I called home that I wanted to get away from all the memories that I see. I slowly reached out my hand to Soryu and I gripped his shirt as tight as I could. He held where my hand was and he steadied me through holding my shoulder in his other hand.

"Please." I managed to say again. "What is it?" He asked. I felt everything around me disappear and all I could see was his face and his presence, nothing else. I closed my eyes and looked down. I took a deep breath and started to look at him again, mustering up all the strength I had left and say…

"Please take me away from here."


	13. Chapter Twelve

**Chapter Twelve**

 _ **Yoichi's POV**_

I got my heart broken thrice today. I find it funny, but it actually hurts. It hurts quite a lot. The first moment that my heart broke today was when I realized that Chieko was Ryoichi's next target in order to make me succumb to his orders. Moreover, he really took an interest on Chieko; thus, he wants her to be his. My heart broke with the news because I promised Chieko that no matter what happens, when she gets involved in my affairs, nobody would get hurt and that everything will be okay especially with the people close to us… people close to her. Which leads me to my second breaking point wherein two of my closest friends died while they are protecting the woman important to us all. I didn't give Ichigo the order to come by my place, he just somehow managed to drop by and see Chieko and see how she is, only to realize that the mission we were all in was a trap to get Chieko alone inside the house so that Ryoichi's men can get her away from us, under our noses. It was Samo who came by the house next because he knew something was unusual with the way the tasks in the mission were so easy. They took my attention away from the possibility of an anomaly so that I wouldn't notice the sinister plan that Ryoichi made. I was too stupid and careless to think he wouldn't touch my Chieko. However, he wanted her and he wanted to undermine me, so he would stop at nothing to get what he wants.

As I looked at my men as they gathered around the two dead bodies. The people inside my place doubling as Ichigo's clan started to arrive and mourn their leader's death. It pained me to see them so desolate and angry. This is not the way to fight a battle such as this one. I wonder if we would even win this war against the insidious and the inevitable evil that's slowly eating this world alive. I realize, with a sinking heart, as I watch Chieko grip the two body bags until her knuckles were white, that I am fighting a battle that I cannot win. No matter how many assistance I get from Soryu Oh and his friends, the fight will be my doom. What gets me shaking scared shitless is that Chieko is in this world with me and if I go down, then she will follow right after. I don't want that to happen.

I stared at her face, now pale with crying and tiredness, her eyes filled with sorrow and fear. Somehow the incident she witnessed earlier triggered the early memories of our childhood. I failed at the only thing I promised her mother. And I want to make amends for that. I was about to call her but she somehow heard me talking to Soryu and she glanced up from that disgusting embrace Tsuyoshi was giving her and she stumbled on her way to where we are. I braced for the emotional moment wherein she was going to stumble into my arms as she weeps…

But that didn't happen.

I knew that even as I held her as she stumbled, the way her body stiffened at my touch, it wasn't I who she wanted to hold her. It was my good friend Soryu. Their eyes were locked at each other, as if they were making silent conversations that only them know. My chest felt breathless as she gently pushed away from me and she went in front of Soryu. I couldn't say anything, nor even move. All I could do was watch as she reached out and grip Soryu's shirt very tightly, fear and desperation in her eyes. She was shaking. She was traumatized.

I did this to her. And I understood.

"Please take me away from here." She said.

And my heart broke for the third time.


	14. AUTHOR'S NOTE

**AUTHOR'S NOTE:**

 **ATTENTIOOOOOOON!**

Hello guys!

I know that my story is not much, and it's kinda taking so long for me to upload the next chapters. I really apologize for that but unfortunately, it's going to take some time for me to upload the succeeding chapters because I just got out from the hospital and I am currently recuperating. Moreover, I am quite preoccupied dealing with my practicum and thesis matters, because stating the obvious, as you all know, I am a student and is struggling to finally graduate college. I am very sorry to keep you guys waiting, but rest assured, I am still in the process of making the chapters whenever I have free time and whenever I could exert that much effort from all the ruckus going on with my health as of the moment (I am a sickly child, I honestly admit)

To give justice for my delay in uploading… I will leave you guys with a minute slip of the tongue, or in this case, a spoiler for what's in store for you guys in the succeeding chapters…

 _"I stood there, as if my feet were buried deep on the floors, as I let the emotion I have denied and rejected for so long crushed me and engulfed me so fast that I couldn't even breathe. Then all of a sudden, my mind cracked and my body, having a mind on its own, reached for the only thing that I wanted, I yearned for, and I denied myself of…"_

I couldn't give everything away, could I? Lol. Again, I really apologize for all the delay. Please stick with me and bear with me quite longer. Sorry sorry sorry! Thank you though, for tolerating my story and you guys make me very happy because you read my story! I promise you guys that I will upload ASAP once I have the chapters done!


	15. Chapter Thirteen

**Chapter Thirteen**

 _ **Soryu's POV**_

I stood there, holding her in my reach, not hugging her, but she is in my hands. Her eyes were pleading the impossible. How can I take her away from here; from her home, her people that she loves? That'd be a very rude and improper thing to do to my friend, even though something stirred within me and I almost abandoned my principles just for her. I gulped as she slowly closed her eyes and her grip slackened and she lost consciousness. I held her to me, carried her and looked at Yoichi. The look in his eyes made me feel guiltier than I already am. The pain in his eyes as he stared at Chieko was unbearable. However, he quickly recovered and rushed over to my side as he said, "Bring her upstairs. She must've had too much stress for today." I nodded and as I headed for the stairs, I glanced back at Yoichi as he directed me where Chieko's room is.

As I entered her room, I somehow gained knowledge about the small woman in my arms as I took in the atmosphere and the things that made up of her room. As I laid her in her bed, pulling her comforter aside so that I could tuck her in as she slept, I noticed that her room was very clean. Washed with mint green paint on all four walls, her bed in the center and two bedside tables on both sides, the other holding a lava lamp, glasses, an unfinished book, whilst on the other held three photo frames. One frame contained a picture of her and maybe her mother, because the woman looked like her, only the eyes differed. The other frame held a picture of Yoichi and the others as they posed in the beach, everybody smiling and adoringly looking at her. And the last one was a picture of her and Yoichi when they were probably in middle school, because of their uniforms. I could feel Yoichi's gaze on me as I shamelessly glanced about her room and he sighed. I looked at him and he held his neck and he came towards me.

"I was going to ask you to take care of Chieko for a little while, but it seems to me she got my idea first and she asked you in my stead." He tried to smile, but I could see he was sad and tired. Losing his friend and family at the same time wasn't easy, I understand.

"She needs somebody to watch over her. I need to protect her from this. Everything's getting out of hand and it's all my fault." He looked at me, grief and guilt swirling in his eyes. I could feel his exasperation as he brushed his hands through his fingers and sighed.

"I need her to be away from us… Samo and Ichigo need justice. I will have my revenge. I don't want her to see this." He glanced at Chieko, sleeping so soundly, looking like a perfect angel. Yoichi walked towards her bed and he sat beside her. Chieko shifted slightly, turning her head to where Yoichi was, locks of hair spilling on her face. Yoichi lifted his hands to brush off the hair off her face and his hand lingered on her cheeks, slowly caressing her soft skin. His thumbs brushed through her cheeks and then onto the dark circles that emanated beneath her eyes. I stopped the wave of jealousy that came crashing on to me, because it wasn't my place to feel such rancid emotion, I had no right. "It's all my fault, Eko. I'm so sorry." He whispered as he planted a light kiss on her temple.

Yoichi held Chieko's hand and placed in on his cheek as he kissed and continued on whispering apologies and words of love, however, his confessions were moot since Chieko would never have the chance to hear it in her deep slumber. Yoichi looked at me as he placed Chieko's hand back to where it laid and said, "Will you stay with her? Will you let her in your care?" I looked at him for a long time, searching his eyes, wondering if he was joking or if he was serious. He was asking me to take Chieko in, while he and his men fight Ryuichi's wrath, and all the while he knew my emotions towards Chieko. This is too much, for a person for Yoichi who loved Chieko so much, he wouldn't let me take Chieko away from him and his family. I just knew he wouldn't.

"Are you certain?" was all I answered. Amidst all the stress and pain he's been through, he managed a smile. "Yes. If I were to leave Chieko to somebody who would care for her while I fight a dangerous war with my men, it'd be with you." He stood and walked towards me as he clapped a hand over my shoulder.

"I trust you, Soryu. Ever since we were kids." He said.

"Yoichi. You know how I feel about her." I confessed. His hand patted my shoulder and slid off my shoulder as he walked away from me and walked towards the door. I turned to catch him, make him talk to me. he simply stopped when his hands were holding the door knob and he turned.

"I know. That makes it all the more comforting, because I trust you that your principles and loyalty wouldn't blind you from however immense your affections are to Chieko." He smiled. He opened the door and scratched his neck as he said, "I'll make the arrangements and send for somebody to pack her things." And the door closed, leaving me alone with Chieko's sleeping form.

 _ **Yoichi's POV**_

As I closed the door of Chieko's room, I started for the stairs. I needed her to be away from all of this because I didn't want her to get hurt anymore than Samo and Ichigo's death has damaged her. As I arrived down the satirs, Tsuyoshi intercepted me and immediately asked me of the plan. I looked at him and sighed. I looked to another man of my group and said, "Please fix Chieko's things. She will leave the residence temporarily. I expect you know what si to be packed for her?" the man nodded and he went to work. From my right I can see Tsuyoshi's eyes widen. I looked at him and smirked. "What, being clingy to Miki?" I teased. He blushed and punched me. "You cannot be serious, Yoichi! She'll get upset! She wouldn't appreciate this!" he yelled. I looked at him as calmly as I could, concealing all the hurt, the anger, and the confusion dn helplessness I feel inside.

"What would you have me do, then?" I asked him. Tsuyoshi stopped babbling and looked at me. "Anything but making her leave. Yoichi, you don't understand. She's the only person that makes all of us happy in this god forsaken world!" he pleaded. "Don't do this. This isn't protecting her!" he added. I could see the anguish in his eyes and I walked towards him, placing my hands on his shoulder as I shook him lightly.

"Making her stay will hurt her as much as she has been hurt tonight. I cannot bear to see pain and anguish in her eyes. Let alone the tears and cries she made tonight. I cannot bear to see that anymore." I closed my eyes as I sighed.

"She will come back, once everything is over?" he asked. I nodded. "Soryu won't be a cad to steal her away from the people she loves. Soryu's an honorable man, Tsuyoshi. I trust him with all that I am." I confessed. Tsuyoshi nodded.

"When will all this be over, Yoichi?" he whispered.

"I don't know, Tsuyoshi." I said. "I don't know if it would."

 _ **Chieko's POV**_

I woke up in my bed, flustered and clueless as to how I came to be here. I felt myself feel weak and I sighed. I saw too much today. They all hurt. I lost a friend and a family member. I wish everything would go back in time and I would've sacrificed myself for them. Unfortunately I can't. I can't bring everything back the way it was no matter how I wished it. I started to get off my bed when my door opened and Yoichi peeked in.

"Yoichi." I said as he rushed in beside me. "What's going on? How long have I been asleep?" I looked at him. He smiled and kissed my forehead. "Everything's well, everything's fine. You fainted. You needed sleep. Now look at me, I need to tell you something."

He held my face between his palms and looked at me.

"You need to come with Soryu Oh and his team, okay? I don't want to put you in danger and I need you to be safe." He slowly said, as if he is saying something that I wouldn't understand. He was right. I couldn't understand. I wasn't happy about it, but there was something inside me that tells me that I need to go, I need to forget the painful memory Samo's absence will remind me every single day. I need this war to be over, they were taking its toll on me. "F-for how long?" I asked.

"A month or two." He shrugged. "You understand why, right? You understand why you must leave?" he asked. I nodded. He sighed and planted another kiss on my forehead and stood. "Your things are prepared. You may pack more things just in case you need to bring other things." He smiled and left me alone. I looked at my door for a couple more minutes and I sighed as I slowly stood up and grabbed a bag in my closet and started to pack books, and other things that would keep me preoccupied while I'm under Soryu's care. My hand paused mid-air as I was slowly packing my things. I closed my eyes. I shouldn't feel this way towards Soryu. I shouldn't feel excited and giddy and uncomfortable and so… drawn to him whenever I see him. I quickly packed my things and went to fix myself and went outside.

As I went down the stairs, I could tell that everybody knew I will leave because they were trying their best not to look my in the eye and they cleared the way for me as I took steps towards the front door where Soryu and his men waited for me. As I looked in his eyes, his silver orbs caught my eyes and everything around me faded away. He reached out his hand and said, "Are you ready to leave?" he asked.

I stopped in front of his hand and I slowly placed mine in his. But a sudden gush of pain stabbed my heart and I took my hand away as I turned and ran back to Yoichi's arms. I felt the need to say good-bye to him. I needed to see him before everything's too late. I might not see him when I get back, it is a bad thought, but it could happen. I felt tears pricked in my eyes as I held him tightly. "Shhh, Chieko. Smile. Smile for me." he whispered as he returned my embrace with fervor. I looked at him as I cried, his thumbs wiping my tears away. "You'll come back to me okay? You'll come back to us, alright?" he said, placing his forehead onto mine and I closed my eyes and shook my head. "I don't want to go, I don't want to leave you guys here." I whispered as Tsuyoshi and his twin came to me and embraced me.

"We'll visit you when we're able, Miki." Tsuyoshi whispered. I looked at each of them and said, "You guys promise?" I sniffed. They smiled and nodded. "Only if you promise that you'll be back as soon as everything's over." Yoichi said. I nodded. He moved towards me and slowly pushed me to Soryu.

"Go." He whispered. He looked at Soryu and nodded.

"Go, before I change my mind." He smiled. I nodded and he kissed my forehead one last time and I left with Soryu and his men.


	16. Chapter Fourteen

**Chapter Fourteen**

 _ **Soryu's POV**_

 _"I'm so sorry, Mr. Soryu…" she murmured as she sleepily slumped on the seats beside me as Samejima and Ryosuke drove us to the Tres Spades. She held my hand firmly and looked at me as if she was holding on for dear life. "I promise, I will be forever in your debt for helping Yoichi and for helping me get through… things. I needed to… forget." She hesitantly said. I guess she was guilty for running away from all of this. I gripped her hand in return and nodded my approval._

 _"There is no need to apologize or even promise me something that I have not asked." I smiled. "Yoichi is my friend. It is a given that I'll be here with him whenever he needs it." I added. She yawned and nodded as she her head sleepily swayed with the motion of the car. She looked out the window, her hand slowly retreating from my grip._

 _"I'm sure he would've done the same to you." She whispered._

 _I continued to look at her as I watch her succumb to a drowsy stupor, but I was shocked that she looked at me and said, "I'm sorry. I'm quite tired…" she blushed. I brushed the hair off her face and smiled. "Rest."_

 _She leaned her head on my shoulder and she slept._

"When will your darling baby be available for entertainment, Soryu?" Baba asked as he stared at Chieko sleeping inside my lodgings at Tres Spades. Ever since the moment I arrived at Tres Spades, Eisuke and the others were bombarding me with questions as they saw me carry a sleeping Chieko up into my lodgings and I moodily snapped at my men to continue on with the regular business in the office without me. Chieko's comfort and protection was the first thing I wanted to ensure the moment we arrived and I couldn't concentrate on how to do that when I have my snooty friends, snooting in my own business. Eisuke suddenly smirked and patted my shoulder as he dragged Baba and Ota out of the room. "Come along, Kishi." He said and Kishi left the room.

I stared at Chieko sleeping and I could almost feel myself feel quite tired. I wanted to lay my head in the pillow beside hers and sleep. I have been worrying about her and her family for two nights now that I haven't got any decent sleep at all. Seeing her face so naturally calm and vulnerable makes me want to protect her all the more. She looked so beautiful that something in my heart started to hurt. I have to control myself, she is still with Yoichi. I do not know whether her heart also belongs to him, but I must keep my distance. I mustn't put her in confusion, that's the last thing I want her to be. I will not make her choose between me and Yoichi. I may even fear the answer, if it all came down to that.

I heard the sheets move and saw Chieko waking up from her sleep. She slowly opened her eyes and she stared up at the ceiling, trying to make sense of what was going on and where she was. I watched her scan the ceiling quietly, blinking several times as she tried covering another yawn and failed. I watched her eyes slowly make sense of the room as I see her amethyst eyes water slightly and as they landed onto my own.

"Are you ready to have a meal now?" I broke out the silence. I was slowly losing my control to hold her as we kept on staring at each other. She nodded and she tried to get up from the bed. She placed her hand on her forehead, checking as if whether she had a fever or something. Brushing away her curls off her face, she stared at me.

"How long have I been sleeping?" she asked quietly.

"For about three hours." I stated. She blushed. She sighed and she looked at me apologetically. "I'm sorry. I have this habit of sleeping in for long hours whenever I'm distressed." She sheepishly smiled and let out a soft laugh. "Yoichi always call me 'sleepy head'. He says I love sleeping more than anything else." She stared at the wall, smiling as she remembered the way Yoichi teases her.

"Will they be okay, Soryu?" she asked. I found her staring at me intently, as if she was waiting for me to lie. I shrugged. I couldn't lie to her. Not now, not ever

"I am not certain, Chieko- I mean, Miki." I was not sure whether I should call her by her first name. "I think Yoichi will manage. I am here for him and the others, so you don't have to worry about anything." I smiled to reassure her. She looked forlorn and worried about her family. This gives me a pang of jealousy and it took me all of my control to crush it down. I have no right to be jealous. They were her family for goodness' sake.

But somehow, I wished she would also worry for me the way she worries for Yoichi…

I suddenly felt her hand touch mine and the other touch my face. I was so immersed in my thoughts that I was not aware she came closer to me and touched me. The look in her eyes took my breath away. She was looking at me with so much adoration and gratefulness that I felt so happy that my heart was going to burst. If I wasn't an expert at hiding my emotions she would've known my feelings for her then and there.

"Thank you." Was all she said and she closed her eyes and sighed.

"I-" she was supposed to say something, but she couldn't say it or maybe she was even afraid of what she was going to say.

"I'll leave you to fix yourself. You just come out whenever you're ready and I'll prepare fodo for you." I said as I walked towards the door.

"Soryu?" she called back

"Yes?"

"Don't call me Miki, anymore." She smiled.

"Alright… Chieko."

"Much better." She laughed as I closed the door behind me.


	17. Chapter Fifteen

**Chapter Fifteen**

 _ **Chieko's POV**_

I close my eyes as I let my face feel the wonderful warmth of the water falling on skin. I decided to take a bath before I go down and meet Soryu again. I felt quite wasted and dirty so I think it was best to actually bathe first before meeting other people. This way I wouldn't look like a little orphan no matter how much I feel like one right now. I forced myself to relax to savor the moment I have in this bathroom. I think of myself as a fool whenever I remember what I did to Soryu. What was I thinking, getting closer to him, touching his hands and face? I almost even blurted out something, it's a good thing that I stopped myself in time to check what my mind was forcing my body to do. This is very dangerous, indeed. I need to keep my distance from him. I cannot fall in love with him. Yoichi's where my home is. It is with Yoichi that my loyalty lies.

Somehow when I keep on instilling that thought in my head, why does it feel like I'm lying to myself this time?

I shook my head as I slowly washed my hair and my body and stepped out of bathroom to change and fix myself. I donned on a simple mint green dress and combed my hair, turned the blower on and started drying my hair. Once my hair was dry, I let it down and let it fall down my back and went outside to meet everybody.

Calm yourself, Chieko. Why are you shaking?

I slowly opened the door and slowly walked through the hallway as I followed the noisy voices of Mr. Baba and Mr. Ota, teasing somebody who grunted a curse. It must be Mr. Kishi or Mr. Ichinomiya. I suddenly stopped when I heard a feminine voice in the background just when I was about to get out of the corner to be seen by them all. She had a wonderful voice, very warm and friendly. However, the way she said the names of Mr. Baba and Mr. Ota had its tinge of warning that the men quickly apologize to whomever they were teasing. I placed my hand on the wall as I tried to conceal myself from them as I listen to their comical conversations partly because my nerves are killing me and I might faint the moment they see me, and that I just want to be alone for a little longer.

I suddenly heard Soryu say something teasing to Mr. Ichinomiya and with a retort from Mr. Ichinomiya,, Soryu laughed loudly. I unconsciously smiled at the way his laugh sounded. I closed my eyes and leaned on the wall as I listened to his laughter and banters when I forgot that I wasn't hiding myself enough. Amidst all my eavesdropping, I forgot that I was too near the corner where the entrance to their common room was that I forgot that my skirt was somehow showing.

"Well now. It seems to me that the sleeping beauty is awake." I heard a voice say in my ear, so softly that it scared me senseless that it made me squeal a bit loudly. I felt two hands steady me before I actually run out of balance and I heard a chuckle. "Slowly, princess." Mr. Baba said as he slowly helped me regain my balance.

"Were you eavesdropping, Princess?" Mr. Ota suddenly appeared and he held my other hand as they both escorted me inside the common room. They must've felt my nervousness that I felt Mr. Baba's thumb trace circles on my hand to calm me down. I looked up at him and before I could say anything, the common room was silent.

I scanned the room and met Soryu's eyes. Once my eyes saw his, I forgot that he was with other people and my world only consisted of him.

This will be a difficult setting.

 _ **Soryu's POV**_

As soon as I entered the common room, I forced myself to forget the warmth of Chieko's palms against my cheek and my hand. I distracted myself by participating on the silly antics my friends were doing so that I'd forget everything. I need to remember that she is not mine. I should remember that. But as I stare at her, wearing a very beautiful mint green dress, her brown curls tumbling down her shoulders and back, her cheeks pink with freshness, I was, once again undone.

How can one slip of a girl make me forget my train of thought with just one glance of her face or even a part of her? This is unacceptable. I am losing myself in her charm. A charm that will never be mine.

"Well it seems we're playing a staring game here, aren't we?" I heard Eisuke's voice boom, breaking the silence and Chieko loses the eye contact. Somehow the color on her cheeks darkened and I knew she was blushing. Was she always this shy around everybody?

"Now, princess, are you hungry?" Ota asks. Baba took her hands and kissed them as they led her to the couch and served her with the food prepared solely for her. They started doting on her and it annoyed me because they were flirting with somebody that's neither theirs, and it made me want to kill them both. Just as I was about to do a scaring game for them and grabbing my gun in my coat pocket, I felt Hinata's small hands tap my shoulder.

"Don't do that. It's not a very nice way to impress a woman." Hinata smiled and she walked towards the two hooligans, holding her stomach as she slowly walked. I looked at Eisuke and he smiled, watching his wife gracefully make her way into a comedic mess just to make me feel better. I didn't know pregnancy can make Hinata so beautiful. Maybe motherhood actually befits the little woman. I can also tell that Eisuke was completely besotted with his wife. They have walked a very rigid path, but they got through it together. Knowing Eisuke all my life, I knew he wouldn't let her go from the moment he said "I bought you." It was a rather envious sight; I suddenly hoped I could find happiness the way Eisuke found his in Hinata and their baby. My eyes shifted to where Chieko sat, laughing at something Baba said.

Damn that smile. Flash that smile only to me, Chieko.

Look at only me.

Love only me.

Then again, I am wishing for the impossible.

"This is gonna be a hard task to live up with, eh Soryu?" Eisuke nudged me. I looked at him then back to the vixen who holds my full attention. I sighed as I slowly smiled.

"Yes. But she's mine… for now."

"I'm hoping that for now's going to change into something… longer." Eisuke murmured as he watched Chieko interact with his wife and as they became instantly best friends, Eisuke laughed.

"My Hinata knows how to make friends." He said when I looked at him.

"You're lucky to have her, Eisuke." I said. He nodded. "I know."

"However…" my head suddenly snapped up and looked at Eisuke once more as I heard a very weird note in that statement. "However?" I looked him straight in the eyes as I tensed for something that he observed.

"I think you're lucky yourself." He smirked. I felt my brows knit together, showing him my confusion and he sighed as he chuckled and shook his head. He then said, "I guess you're kind of lucky there's some kind of reciprocation in your predicament." He tilted his head towards to where Chieko was sitting. As I looked back at her, I saw her looking at me and noticing that I have noticed, she jumped and blushed and she looked away, distracting herself from the embarrassment of getting caught staring.

I felt Eisuke's hand clap on my shoulder.

"Somehow, you are an irresistible view for her. She kept glancing your way when you weren't looking." He murmured and he walked towards his wife.


	18. Chapter Sixteen

**Chapter Sixteen**

 _ **Chieko's POV**_

It has been three weeks since I stayed with the Ice Dragons and Soryu Oh's friends at Tres Spades. Everything seemed calm and peaceful. However, I still have no news of how Yoichi and the others were doing. I would usually get daily phone calls from Tadao and Tsuyoshi, but they always said that Yoichi was too busy that he misses the chance of talking to me during those hours. It makes me feel a little bit sad, but there was a night when I got a phone call from Yoichi himself; though our conversation was very brief, it was enough for me to acknowledge that he and the others are unharmed and that the vengeance and war with Ryuichi and his group is far from over. It worries me that Yoichi might be so set on his anger and revenge that he might lower his guard down and it will become a point of his vulnerability. I hope Yoichi wouldn't forget what he lived for. I hope his anger and desolation won't lead him astray from what we all wanted.

Given the distance and the longevity of me being away from Yoichi and the others, I start to get homesick and miss them terribly that I usually wake up in the middle of the night, dreaming of bad things happening to them, and I would be reduced into a crying fool. I worry for their welfare, but I am also thankful for the entertainment Soryu's friends are giving me every single day. However, I keep a safe distance from Soryu. I wouldn't want to be close to him wherein it would cause trouble for everybody. Distance might help me ebb and erase all these fuzzy feeling and thoughts I have of him. Somehow, I hope it will all go away eventually. It seems like his presence affects me too much that sometimes I miss him when he's not in the penthouse with us, or when he is attending to some pressing matters in his office, I suddenly get urges of asking everybody where he was. It is as if my heart and mind got used to his presence that I crave for him and look for him when he is not around.

It is a very bad thing indeed. I can't fall in love with him.

It's all too wrong.

"Hey, Chiekooooo? Earth to Chiekooo" I suddenly snap out of my thoughts as I gaze out of the window and heard Hinata, Mr. Ichinomiya's wife, and Baba call me. I looked at them, embarrassed and asked, "Yes? I'm sorry I wasn't listening." I smiled.

"You look pale." Hinata looked at me with concerned eyes. I touched my cheeks and looked at her. I was not feeling well, but I couldn't believe that I was actually looking pale. Before Baba could dote on me and say anything else, I heard the elevator to the penthouse open and Soryu step in.

I quickly looked away before he sees the expression in my eyes.

"Princess, you have a visitor." Soryu said.

"Hey, Miki!" I heard voices that somehow made my knees weak and I feel fainter than I did a while ago. I quickly whirled around and saw my favorite twins looking at me while they stood beside Soryu. I quickly ran to them and gave them hugs and kisses as they returned my embraces with equal eagerness.

"I missed you both!" I squealed as I held their faces and I felt tears spring in my eyes but they quickly wiped my eyes and entertained me.

Baba and Hinata and the others tried their best to keep me happy and entertained today. It is as if their efforts are doubled, as if they were trying to hide something from me. Maybe I'm being doubtful and paranoid, so I just pushed these suspicions away and enjoyed their company.

 _ **Soryu's POV**_

The twins visited Chieko at Tres Spades today. She was over joyed and she kept chattering and she was more cheerful and glowing when she's with the twins. They contacted me the night before, asking how she was doing. Chieko was perfectly well, however, when the night comes, she's been getting nightmares and sometimes she would scream and I would come running in the room and hold her until the last tremors of her dreams would disappear and then I'll leave her to sleep. She doesn't seem to remember her outbursts when I meet her in the mornings after her nightmares. I tried asking her once about what she dreamt about and she looked at me blankly as if thinking me of a fool. I needed to confide to someone, and seeing Yoichi is busy as he is, I took the opportunity and asked the twins.

I looked for them around Tres Spades when I knew from Ota that they took Chieko in the park. I was about to follow suit when the elevator opened and I saw Tsuyoshi carrying Chieko at his back, while Tadao was holding some things Chieko might've brought with her during their stroll outside. I must've given away the immense worry I was feeling when Tadao smiled and reassured me, as if he read my thoughts quite perfectly.

"Don't worry, Mr. Oh. She's fine. She just fell asleep. We'll be taking her to her room, may you tell us where?" he politely asked while Tsuyoshi shifted his hold on Chieko. I looked at the three as I lead them to where her room was. They looked like brothers and sisters, Chieko being the little kid for falling asleep during their great adventures.

She was really treated like a princess when these people are around her. However, her falling asleep and being unable to wake up bothers all of us. It might not show in the twins' expressions, but the puzzlement and alarm in their eyes was evident.

I waited for them to let Chieko settle down in the bed and thought of what I wanted to know when the door of my bed room closed, I immediately asked them to follow me in my study.

"Please take a seat." I waved my hand at the seats in front of the couch where I usually sleep during Chieko's stay. Tsuyoshi was absorbing the view, noticing the pillows and blankets draped over the other seat. He cocked his eyebrow at me and I smiled.

"Chivalry." Tsuyoshi murmured.

"I need to ask a few questions." I said. Tadao must've the same sentiments for he answered, "I do have questions myself, Mr. Oh."

"Why is Chieko looking pale?" Tsuyoshi bluntly asked. "Has she been getting enough sleep?"

"You see, that's my concern as well." I replied. They looked at me, as if waiting for me to continue. "She screams like a banshee every single night, shaking and crying, calling for her mother. But when she wakes up the next day, she doesn't seem to remember she was doing the thinsg she did the night before."

Tsuyoshi's eyes closed and he pinched his nose as if what I told him was something unfortunate. "What's the matter?" I asked.

It took them a few minutes to tell me what the real deal was and I was getting a bit annoyed because I wanted Chieko's nightmares to stop and somehow I feel like there was something from her past that has been bothering her or something was triggered when Shizuna and Samo died. She carried the burdens as she tried to escape the wrath of our world.

I wanted to shield her from her own ghosts.

I wanted to understand.

"What?" I insisted. Tsuyoshi looked at Tadao.

"He needs to know. Chieko is under his care. He must know. Yoichi warned us about this, we have his permission to know." Tadao said to his brother. Tsuyoshi looked at me and sighed.

"You might as well make yourself comfortable; this will take us quite some time." Tsuyoshi said. I shifted comfortably in my seat and nodded. "Continue." I said.

"You see, Mr. Ichigo and Samo's death somehow triggered the memories of Chieko's past. That is the primary reason why Yoichi sent her in your care, to let her forget everything for a while before she comes to a relapse." Tsuyoshi said.

"You may as well explain what this past is." I said. Tsuyoshi nodded.

"You are well aware of how Natsume Kazumi's clan got murdered, right?" Tsuyoshi asked me. I nodded.

"Chieko witnessed all of it." He said. As he said those words, my blood turned cold and I couldn't move, or even blink. I felt so stiff thinking about how Chieko must've felt when she saw her family being ruthlessly slaughtered in front of her eyes. This was something that nobody can get over from. How Chieko managed to block everything from her mind, I have no idea. I kept on staring at the twins as I choked on the words I wanted to say.

"But I thought they slaughtered everybody in the clan residence? Nobody knew Chieko existed…" I said.

"Ryuichi didn't know he had a daughter. He was a dimwit for that. But he knew of a wife. No matter how long Natsume tried to conceal his wife's identity to his enemies through tossing her out the clan residence while she was with child, people found out about her, but not of the child." Tsuyoshi said.

"It seemed that the mother hid Chieko from a world so cruel. She struggled to give Miki a nice life once Natsume tossed her out while she was pregnant with their child. She didn't understand at first as to why the sudden change of treatment from her husband." Tadao chimed in. "What was once love became resentment and disgust. She didn't realize that he had to anger her so that she would stay away from him for her own good."

"So you mean, Ryuichi knew of a wife, but not of the child?" I asked. The twins nodded.

"Chieko wasn't aware that her father was a mafia boss until she saw her mother get killed in front of her." Tsuyoshi said.

"What did she do when she saw this unfold before her eyes?" I asked.

"She was paralyzed at first." A voice suddenly said. I whipped my head to where the door was and saw Yoichi standing by the doorway, his hands in his pocket, looking grim and smug at the same time.

"But when I ran to her aid because I knew that when they saw her, they'd kill her as well." He started walking towards where his men sat.

"When I arrived…" he paused and looked at his men.

"He saw her stabbing one of the assaulters to death." Tsuyoshi quietly said.


	19. Chapter Seventeen

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: This will be a chapter wherein we all learn of Chieko's traumatic past, as narrated by Yoichi Tatsuo himself (primarily because he was Chieko's bestest friend ever since they were in junior high) ENJOY! :D**

 **Chapter Seventeen**

 _ **Yoichi's POV**_

Soryu looked shaken from what we have told him, but I wanted to let him know Chieko's past because it was his right, now that he's taking care of her for me. I stared at the twins and ordered, "You might as well leave the room and bring the things I've brought here in her room. Make sure she's preoccupied when she wakes up." And they left the study.

"You might want me to tell you everything? From the beginning?" I looked at Soryu's grim face. He said nothing but nodded.

I took a deep breath as I sat down the couch and started.

 _Chieko and I met when we were in junior high school, the moment when you left for overseas to study. She was not a new student, but everybody somehow isolated her from their circles. Well that was what I thought at first._

 _She was this beautiful little doll with short curly hair dangling below her ears. She looked like a cherub and every girl in school envied her. Boys admired her and kept on doting on her but she seemed susceptible to their charms and she wanted to spend her free time alone up in the rooftop, reading and eating her lunch alone. She was quiet, but she wasn't a hostile person. When she needed to converse with people, she would nicely do so. However she wanted to be alone at all times that people who wanted to befriend her gets discouraged because she always pushes them away._

 _She was like this our entire junior high life. I was watching her from afar; somehow she was very interesting to everybody. She was intelligent, affable, and quiet. She was a mystery to everybody, as if she was keeping a secret from everybody. However, I was drawn to her kindness for animals. One time I saw her drenched in rain as she tried taking in an orphaned puppy. However, the rain was too harsh that she couldn't rush home herself so she sat by the tree where the puppy was left and she waited for the rain to subside. She cuddled the puppy in her jacket as she murmured cooing words to it. I could tell she was shivering as much as the puppy was so I took out my extra umbrella and covered her with it._

 _She jumped up and gasped as she realized I was behind her. She clutched the puppy tighter in her chest and looked at me accusingly. "What are you doing here?" she softly said. It was the first time I heard her voice. She usually spoke so softly that I imagined what her voice sounded._

" _I just happened to pass by… here, take the umbrella." I handed her the umbrella. She hesitated for a while before she took the umbrella with shaking fingers. "T-thank you." She said. I continued to stare at her and at the puppy and she got so uncomfortable that her usual blush darkened and her eyes flashed some kind of annoyance as her amethyst eyes focused on mine._

" _You followed me here." She stated. I looked wounded at first but I realized she can read through my lies so I chuckled and nodded. "Apparently, the doll princess likes being alone but somehow…" I paused looking at the puppy._

" _Somehow?" she asked._

" _I want to be friends." I bluntly said. She looked stunned._

" _Is that what everybody's been calling me all this time? Doll princess?" she ignored my statement. I nodded. She sighed._

" _People." She said and I laughed. Her head snapped up and looked at me scrutinizing my new founded humor on that statement._

" _You're weird." She said. "So are you." I answered back. She nodded and smiled._

 _The rain somehow simmered into a drizzle and she slowly placed the puppy down into the box where it was and she grabbed her bag and went back to grab the puppy again._

" _You're taking it home?" I asked as she handed me the umbrella._

" _I'm taking HIM home." She corrected and she started to walk away._

" _Hey wait! How about the friendship I'm offering?" I yelled after her. She looked back at me for a while, as if she was reconsidering and she shrugged and walked away._

 _It was the very first time I talked to her and she never spoke to me ever since. I usually see her jogging with the dog or I can see her go out the park and let the dog play with the children. It was quite surprising because the dog grew into a pitbull and she trained him very well. The dog was very much her opposite, playful and friendly. She sees me but she treats me as if she never met me during the day she picked her dog up from being an orphaned puppy._

 _Until the last day of our junior high life came._

 _The ceremony lasted 'till the late afternoon and everybody was actually excited to have an after class celebration. I was on my way to the venue when I heard a scream from one of the alleys. I sneaked in to check out what was wrong and I saw Chieko being assaulted by thugs. Somehow they had the guts to come near her and she was quite scared. I have never seen her show so much emotion on her face. I barged in to rescue her. After all, I am the son of the Black Mamba's leader. These thugs know better than to mess with me._

" _You! What is a mafia boss' son doing here, saving this beauty?" one thug said. They continued on touching her and I fought them off, one by one until they gave up and pointed at me. "Your father would disapprove of your ways. This is the reason why the mafia world isn't bad enough. People like you exist!" and they left._

 _I brushed off my clothes and looked at Chieko. What I saw in her face got me all surprised._

" _Y-you're a child from a mafia?" she looked at me as if I was a ghost. I ignored her accusation and helped her get up even if she shrunk from my touch. I walked her home and she didn't even say good bye to me. And that was the last that I saw of her… well for our junior high life, at least._

"So when did you guys became friends?" Soryu asked.

"She was my classmate, apparently for the entirety of my high school life." I answered.

"Shall I proceed with my story?" I added.

"By all means, please do."


	20. Chapter Eighteen

**Chapter Eighteen**

 _ **Yoichi's POV (continuation of flashback)**_

 __ _It is during our high school that I met the Tadao twins. They were also sons of a mafia member so somehow we all got together. It came out as a huge surprise to me when I looked to my left and saw Chieko seated beside me, looking at the scene by the window. She looked beautiful as ever as her hair turned from being a cherub's brown short curls into a manageable shoulder length hair. I called out to her and she looked at me and she slowly smiled._

 _"Hello." She said. And from then we were inseparable._

 _We would always hang out in parks where she would let her orphan pitbull play around with the children, sometimes I would run with her during mornings when she felt like it. It took me some time for her to actually open up to me as a friend. It was one of the nights I would never forget. I was the head of the school festival so I went home late and the twins and Chieko went home earlier than I did. Her place was somehow near mine so I usually wake her home when we were together after classes. I saw her run out, crying and she looked so confused. She saw me stare at her but she ran away from me. I followed her to where she usually sat when she was sad, even when we were in our junior high days. There, she stared at the river as tears flowed in her eyes. She slowly looked at me as I sat beside her and she placed her head on my shoulder and she told me everything that was bothering her. Ever since then, we were closer than before._

 _It was on our sophomore year that everything changed. A lot of people confessed to her but she smiled and refused them, saying that she doesn't have the time to fall in love with people and that she can't love people as much as she loves her family. She used to live with her mother and her pitbull in a meager house. She was so happy and lively whenever I come to visit her during out study sessions or summer breaks. The closer we got, the more I learned that Chieko was a very strong willed person. She would do things when she wants to, and she can be rudely blunt if there was a need to be. She was also independent, not relying on anybody for support. In fact, she was the one who did everything in her house and she treated her mother like a queen. She knew her father left them when her mother was pregnant and she resented her father for it, but you will never hear anything ill about her father when she talked to me about him. I never told her but my father mentioned her father's existence to me one time she visited my house._

 _"What did you say her name was?" father asked. "Chieko Kazumi, father." I answered. He looked lovingly at Chieko and murmured, "Natsume never mentioned a daughter. She is her mother's replica; however her eyes betray the entirety appearance."_

 _"Pardon?" I asked._

 _"Her eyes are the eyes of the famous purple eyed lion, Yoichi."_

 _"You mean she's Natsume Kazumi's daughter? Are you certain?" I looked at my father, disbelief in my eyes and in my tone. He chuckled at my shock and he nodded. "I know her mother. She is definitely the love child, alright."_

 _"Doesn't she have the right to know that her father was a mafia man?" I said._

 _My father shook his head. "Her mother knows that her ignorance of the truth will save them from everything that is included in this cruel world of ours, son." He smiled tenderly at me. "You must not speak a word of this to her. Time will come that she herself will discover everything, but for now, we must keep it to ourselves."_

 _So I had no choice but to keep my mouth shut and just watch over her and her mother and protect them at all cost. It was during this time that we were reaching an end to our sophomore year and we all blossomed from children to people who somehow embraced responsibilities. Chieko and I were best of friends, sometimes people would mistake us for lovers because we were always together no matter what happened or whatever event that may be._

 _Did I mention that she was a great artist? Yes, she started painting when she was young; however she never showed anybody her sketched and works because she was too afraid that people would judge her for it. She also loved music and she loved playing the piano. She was healthy, loving, and caring for everybody she holds important to her. She was already planning to study in an art school once we graduated and I told her I would be going abroad once high school was done. She was sad at first but she made me promise her that I would come back and we would have fun again._

 _However, unfortunate events unfolded before our eyes. It was then when the twins' parents died together with my father when a simple feud turned into something severe and our parents were the ones affected by the mother couldn't accept the death of my father that she killed herself by refusing to live at all. Three months later, she died. The inevitable came and I had to step up as the head of the mafia family. It wasn't difficult because I was raised to be one with the principles my father carried, I continued everything he left. The twins swore their alliance with me and they lived with me from then on. It was hard for me during that time, but Chieko stayed with us no matter what and we were grateful for her for it._

"When did the painful incident happen?" Soryu softly asked.

 _It was during our last year in high school when chaos took over._

 _Chieko was on her way home from cram school when she noticed that there were black cars parked at the side of the road to where her house was. Being overly familiar with how mafia cars look like, she sneaked in the back wall of their house and she hid in the shadows for it was already dark and there was a typhoon happening during that time. She told me that she went inside the house and she saw her house in disarray, and her mother was nowhere to be found. She ran to room after room downstairs and she couldn't find her mother. When she ran for the stairs, she was stopped by drops of blood on the first step. She told me she was so scared and that was when she heard her mother's strangled cry. She slowly went upstairs, to her mother's bedroom where she heard the voices. There were men in her house. She slowly peeked in her mother's door and she saw her mother trying to untie her hands from her back. The men were busy gathering something in her bed side table. Chieko told me she covered her mouth to keep herself from screaming and her mother sense her presence and looked at her, frantically telling her with her eyes that she run and hide. Chieko didn't want to leave her mother at first but she had to run and she hid in her closet. Just then, her mother screamed and she came running from her room to Chieko's, but the men caught up with her but she fought the other one off by slitting his throat and the man went down, dead. From what Chieko told me, she covered her mouth to avoid herself from screaming out loud as she watched helplessly as the other man, infuriated at her mother, roared and stabbed her mother numerous times. When her mother was sprawled on the floor, Chieko told me that the man left the room and went immediately downstairs as he made a phone call. She quickly rushed to her mother, seeing her hold the knife of the man she killed, she weakly handed it to Chieko and said in a whisper, "Pink… box. I'm sorry." And with that, Chieko's mother passed. Chieko was too angry to cry for her mother and weep and feel helpless. Chieko was familiar with the pink box that her mother was referring to because she wanted to open it countless times, but her mother reprimanded her for it. Describing herself being detached to her own body, she felt numb as she stood up and silently creeped into her mother's room and took the pink box. Just then, the man who killed her mother returned in her room so she sneaked behind the man. The man was supposed to throw her mother's body into a bag but he was caught by surprise when Chieko hit him with her lamp and he fell on the floor._

 _That was when she attacked._

"Where were you when this all happened?" Soryu asked. I looked at him as I drank my tea and he sadly said "I was fixing a business with another group when Tadao came running to me flustered and told me Natsume Kazumi has been killed and that almost all of the clan were dead."

 _I ran as fast as I could and when I arrived, I saw her pitbull, bloody and dead on the floor of the kitchen. I called out her name as I find her. I was so scared for her that I might see her sprawled on the floor, dead, but then I heard her scream. The scream was something that was foreign to my ears and I ran upstairs and when I saw what she was doing I was frozen to where I stood._

 _She was on top of the helpless man as she continuously stabbed him over and over again, her uniform all bloody, her face bloody, and her hands dripping with blood. Her eyes looked crazed; it wasn't the gentle eyes of the Chieko we all knew. She was crying as she stabbed the man. The man was already dead, but Chieko didn't care, she just wanted to hurt the man. I forced myself to look around and saw her mother dead as well and another man dead with a sliced throat. That was then when I saw the pink box by her bed that I had the strength to move and take her off of the man and make her stop. I grabbed her hands mid-air and took the knife from her but she fought me back, screaming._

 _"LET ME!" she screamed over and over again._

 _"Chieko, that's enough he's dead!" I said as I held her and pulled her away from the man. She kicked and punched me but I managed to let her drop the knife. I pulled her in the corner of her door, realizing immediately that it was a big mistake because she could see the whoel aftermath of the mess of her room. She stared at the dead bodies, her eyes horrified as it darted from the blood and the bodies of the people, then new tears rushed from her eyes and she screamed and cried. I could do nothing but hold her as she cried._

 _"They killed my everything." She said between her cries. "I have nothing!" she cried._

 _At this point, Chieko was hysterical and I wanted to do anything for her but I couldn't do anything for now. She slowly mentioned the pink box and I looked at it as she lost consciousness. I knew then and there that she can't stay in this house anymore. She was too wounded and damaged by everything that she might not be able to be okay. I took the pink box with me as I carried her out of the house. It was heavily raining at that time and thankfully her house was near mine so I just had to take a usual shortcut I usually used when I wanted to go to her without being seen._

 _When I brought her in my house, the twins were so shocked at seeing her all so bloody and all. I looked for a helper and I immediately asked to clean her up and put her in my room and let her sleep. I discussed what happened with Chieko and they were mad with rage. We needed to fix this and protect Chieko at all costs. The police came and investigated the murders, turns out Ryuichi crushed the Kazumi clan and he heard of Natsume's wife and he killed her as well._

 _It took days of investigation before the case was closed. They couldn't get Ryuichi. He was a powerful mafia lord, after all. Chieko wasn't doing well either. She would scream at night, having nightmares of what she saw, crying herself to sleep, locking herself inside the room, and not letting people see her or even talk to her. She went to school as usual, everybody knew of the incident of her mother dying, and everybody would sympathize with her but she withdrew from everybody and went about tasks as if she was a ghost. She continued on being like this until we graduated and she didn't go to art school anymore. She didn't even come to her mother's funeral. She locked herself in if she wasn't needed to be outside._

 _I thought she was broken forever, but one night, I was having a drink by the garden when she went in with me. She stared at the moon and there were tears in her eyes._

 _"Do the dreams still come?" I asked. She nodded._

 _"I opened the box." She said. "Turns out my father threw us out to protect us from all of the chaotic rudeness of the mafia world." She said. I couldn't hear the emotion in her voice; she was saying them in a matter of fact tone._

 _I looked at her, as she cried, staring at the moon. "I'm sorry, mother." She whispered and closed her eyes. I held her to me and she refused._

 _"I came here to tell you something." She said. Determination in her eyes as she stared at me. My heart started at the first sign of emotion I see in her eyes other than resentment and anger and anguish._

 _"What is it?"_

 _"I want to be away from Japan for a while. I want to go and forget."_

 _I nodded. And we went away._

 _We went to Europe as I studied college and she went to art school. Slowly, she healed. Dreams stopped haunting her, she smiled a little bit more, until she completely forgot and she was okay. She never got back to what she was before the chaos happened, I guess the trauma changed her for good, but she was smiling and she was indeed stronger than before._

 _It took us 8 years, but it was all worth it._

 _Chieko got herself back together after 8 years._


	21. Chapter Nineteen

**Chapter Nineteen**

 _ **Soryu's POV**_

 __Hearing of Chieko's past helped me understand why Yoichi and his men were so dedicated in hiding her and protecting her from everything that was evil in our world. I could feel my heart hurt and longing for the shattered Chieko. I wished that I knew her sooner, I wished that I was there instead of Yoichi, I wished that I was the one she went away with to heal. I wished that she was mine, then and now. I wished her to love me back.

I have fallen indubitably in love for Chieko.

No matter how wrong it sounds, the better it felt in my heart because finally I accepted the inevitable. I wanted her to be happy, but I want myself to be the reason why she's smiling. I frowned. Admitting this feeling, even in my own thoughts meant that I was actually betraying and pushing away all my principle all because I loved her. But can you really stop a heart from loving somebody, no matter what the circumstances are?

God knows how hard I tried to stop this for the benefit of others, but I never thought of my happiness. I wanted her and it seems unfair to please everybody but I cannot give myself the only thing that I want most. I cursed myself for not paying attention to how much her past have affected her deeply. Now I understand why she shakes so badly whenever she had those nightmares, the way her eyes panicked when she looked at me as I shook her awake, the way her sobs sounded as she screamed. Knowing all about her past made me want to protect her more than Yoichi wanted to. I want to be the person whom she goes home to every single day, the person she smiles at, the person she adores.

I want to be her everything.

As I thought everything through, I had the epiphany that these feelings were immense that they must've been waiting for some kind of trigger for it to overflow. In this case, learning of her past was the trigger. I was too engrossed on my own thoughts that I forgot Yoichi was in front of me. My gaze turned to him and I saw him watching me.

I'm sorry, Yoichi. I tried.

"Now that you know about her past, please protect her with all your might." He said. I nodded.

"I came here to thank you and to tell you that I'll be taking her back with me in two weeks." He said. I froze.

His gaze never left mine as he said those. I prayed to god that the shock and anger that rushed through me won't be noticed. I stiffly nodded.

"Please bear with me a little bit longer. But I have fixed plans, and I am able to get her back to me with protection stronger that 3 mafia groups combined." He said as he smiled and stood up.

I nodded.

"It seems all you can do is nod. I'm sorry that it came of as a shock, but she still belongs to me." He silently said. We stared at each other and I could notice that something in my friend has changed. Something sinister is going on in his mind. He talks about Chieko as if she was his property and that he will resort to violence if somebody tried to take her away from him.

But I wasn't deterred.

The cold glint in his eyes served as a warning and he left with a nod.

I sat back on the sofa and closed my eyes.

What mess have I gotten myself into?

 _ **Chieko's POV**_

 _Rain._

 _Heavy rain on my skin, the cold's creeping up underneath my flesh that I shudder. I smell iron and I blanch as I feel myself feel nauseous of the smell. Take me away from here. I can see all the blood and all the lifeless eyes. Samo's, Mr. Shizuna's, Mother's, Yoichi's, Tsuyoshi and Tadao's…_

 _Soryu's._

 _I can hear laughter burst through my horrific reverie and feel it echo as it touches my skin, warm and disgusting, a shadow taking shape of a man, people holding me down as I struggle. I can't breathe. Dark hands reach onto my face, clutches my chin on a deadly grip, I shook my head as his grips tighten._

" _N-no…" I tried saying, but as I open my mouth, nothing comes out. I am at a loss. I feel so helpless. Tears spring from my eyes as I realize that the dark figure was Ryuichi. His eyes were hungry and crazed as he loomed over me, crushing his weight onto me. I shook my head as I said a silent plea. He shook his head._

" _You're mine now." He laughed and laughed and laughed and laughed._

 _I tried to scream as loud as I could and I opened my eyes to an empty room in Tres Spades, the rain violently knocking on the window. I held my throat as I suppressed another scream. I panted as I tried to regain my senses of what I am, of where I am._

I'm here, far away from everything Ryuichi has done. I am safe. Why do my dreams turn worse every single day? I felt tears prickle my eyes and I let it flow as I let go of all the frustration and fear that I feel.

I am so scared and I don't know what to do. These dreams are telling me something, however I don't want to acknowledge its message. I got out of bed and walked to the window and watched the scenery outside. The rain was ruthless as it showers heavy fat drops of rain below the busy city. No matter how perilous the rain was, the view of entire place still takes my breath away. Somehow I couldn't stop the tears from falling from my eyes that I eventually succumbed to the crying fool I was stopping myself to be. Everything seems so dangerous, so wrong, and I cannot do anything but hide from it all. Here I am staring at a wonderful view amidst the merciless rain, and my family might be somewhere out there, fighting for something that will be only for my benefit.

The door to where I slept opened and from the silent knock I knew it was Soryu. I didn't have time to wipe away the tears as he stared at my reflection in the glass window. We both stared at each other as his figure and face was reflected in the window as well.

"I'm sorry to disturb you, but Yoichi says that you'll be home in two weeks' time." He silently said. I was not sure, but I could hear regret and pain in his voice. The realization that I'd be far away from him after two weeks made me feel all the more devastated. The guilty weight for Yoichi and my family weighed in my heart again, I had to cover my mouth to stop myself from bawling. I told myself that I couldn't fall in love with him, but who knew that even from afar; it is possible to actually grow fonder for the person. With every smile he gave me as I stared, my heart and resolve grew weaker and the stronger intensified every single day. By watching him, I knew a lot of things about him.

"What's wrong?" he asked worried that I haven't jumped in excitement. "Aren't you glad?" he added.

I didn't answer.

I closed my eyes and I shook my head.

When I looked up, he was still where he was and I slowly turned to him and looked at him face to face. I didn't care whether I looked horrible with fat tears flowing down my cheeks. I wanted to be honest. I could no longer stop the growing anguish I have been feeling and hearing about my leaving this place made me feel worse.

"No." I softly replied. "I'm not glad at all."

 _ **Soryu's POV**_

"No." She softly said. "I'm not glad at all."

What does she mean? However, the way her wonderful long curls framed her crying face, did something to me. The emotions that I have kept bottling up started to overflow and I knew I was already a goner.

There's no going back now.

"W-what do you mean?" I boldly asked. Her eyes widened for a moment, however she never took her eye contact away.

"I don't want to part with you…" she whispered and looked away as new tears flowed.

Her voice sounded louder than a whisper and something in me exploded. I had a sudden strong urge to hold her in my arms until she says what was on her mind. Seeing her this honest, this vulnerable… Oh gods, I love her.

 _I stood there, as if my feet were buried deep on the floors, as I let the emotion I have denied and rejected for so long crushed me and engulfed me so fast that I couldn't even breathe. Then all of a sudden, my mind cracked and my body, having a mind on its own, reached for the only thing that I wanted, I yearned for, and I denied myself of._

 _I could see her eyes widen, but she made no move to get away as I walked to her and held her face. She looked up at me and with a shaking voice I asked,_

 _"Are you certain of what you're saying?" I whispered. She slowly nodded._

 _I smiled as she slowly smiled and she cried more tears._

 _I pulled her face close to mine and kissed her for the very first time._


	22. AUTHOR'S NOTE PART 2

Hello guys!

First of all, I would like to thank you guys because you stuck with me for so long HUHUHU Thank you so much for appreciating my story. Second, I apologize for the inconsistency in uploading new chapters. You see, I am in deep shit right now because I'm to busy doing my thesis. :( nevertheless, I promise you the story doesn't end in the last chapter I uploaded. :) I will upload the next chapters as soon as I am able, just let me finish attending more pressing matters, as we all know, I am also kinda nursing a sickness so to speak. Again, I ardently ask for your forgiveness and please continue to support and wait for me.

You guys are my inspiration in continuing my writing. Thank you so much for understanding :)

With love,

Grumpy Piggy :o)


	23. Chapter Twenty

**Chapter Twenty**

 _ **AUTHOR'S NOTE:**_ **I AM BACK! Hello guys! Sorry for the suuuuper duuper delay! I am now free and I will work on the story now** **Please enjoy!**

 _ **Soryu's POV**_

I felt the morning light brush across my skin as my curtains were opened. I closed my eyes tighter for the fear that it might blind me. I hear Eisuke's voice boom together with the whoosh of the curtains and silence followed. I slowly opened my eyes and focused my gaze on a surprised Eisuke. He was apparently looking at something on my bed, as if I slept with a corpse.

"What?" I croaked.

He couldn't talk however, he nodded towards something beside me. I glanced to my right side and my breath caught in my throat. Lying on my bed was a beautiful angel, sleeping soundly as if everything else in the world was peaceful. Chieko was asleep beside me. I heard Eisuke laugh and I looked back at him. "It's about time, Soryu. About time." He teased. I felt annoyed and threw the pillow beside me at him.

"What do you want?" I asked as I swung my legs off the bed and started to rise. However, Chieko started to stir and we both looked at her as she stretched and turned her head from side to side and suddenly she yawned and opened her eyes. She looked so beautiful, as the sunlight shines on her eyes, making her look more angelic and beautiful. As I stared at her, I remembered everything that happened last night.

 _I felt Chieko's reluctant grip on my shirt as she kissed me back with the same ardent passion that I was feeling for her. This was a good idea right? I can still feel her tears flowing as I touched her cheeks and I broke our kiss to ask her why she was still crying._

 _She was shaking her head, eyes closed and she was sobbing harder than she did when I kissed her. "T-this… This is wrong, Soryu. We're not supposed to." She whispered as she looked at me and she placed her forehead onto mine and she took a deep breath._

 _"I know. I'm sorry. I just couldn't stop myself any longer. I- You do things to me, Chieko. Things nobody has ever tried doing. You did it without even trying. You had me. You have me." I said. She stopped shaking her head and she looked at me from under her lashes. "I can't stop this anymore. Yoichi would be unhappy, but I made my choice." She said._

 _"And that is?" I asked. She slowly smiled as she held my face between her hands. "I chose to have this feelings for you. Even if it would be some sort of a predicament for you and for Yoichi. I can't stop it anymore." She confessed._

She slowly knew where she was and the tiny smile she had on her face made me feel happy because in this moment in time, she feels the same for me and she's here with me. She looked at me and she looked at Eisuke as she rose from the bed. "Nothing happened, if that's what you're thinking Mr. Ichinomiya. I was too perturbed to sleep alone that I needed somebody to talk to. Apparently he stayed until I fell asleep." She smiled and she left the room.

Once the door was completely closed, Eisuke looked at me as if he was asking for a reassurance of what Chieko said was true. I nodded and yawned.

"I kissed her and that's it. She asked if she could stay with me to just release everything she was worried about and we talked until she fell asleep." I shrugged.

"Ah. Good boy Soryu." Eisuke laughed and went out of the room. I looked at where he left and I smiled. Maybe things this time would be wonderful. Finally.

 _ **Chieko's POV**_

It has been weeks and I was having a blast at the Tres Spades. Soryu's friends and Mrs. Ichinomiya are very entertaining and they even let me paint them when we were bored. I was beginning to feel sad for the day when Yoichi will come and get me. I want to stay longer. I want to be with them longer. However, I know my family needs me. And I know this isn't where I really belong. Soryu has made me into an emotional wreck. When he's gone for a clan meeting, I feel so weird and worried that I find myself staying up late until he gets back. He makes my heart beat so fast that I don't know what to do. I am too old for this but I don't care. I have fallen deep into the depths of love and I cannot do anything about it anymore.

At first I wanted to stop this because I know it would cause chaos and it was unnecessary. However, fate has brought us both together to where we are and it's inevitable. I think.

I just hope Yoichi would be happy for me.

I hope he'd be okay with this.

I was pondering all this when I noticed Hinata peeking from the glass doors. I smiled as I looked at her tiny petite figure. Her belly was indeed big and she was blooming. I have never seen a woman as beautiful as she was. I wish I could see her baby before I leave. I hope she'll raise it well, but knowing Hinata, she will be a very brilliant mother. As I beckon her to come and join me rest here in the pent house's terrace, she smiled and she slowly sat as she was holding her big tummy. Looking at her, so healthy and so… pregnant, I wondered if I would be a mother as well. Maybe? A sudden gush of sadness rushed over me as I realized that I might not even experience normalcy the way she does. I sigh.

"There you go again." She softly said. I looked at her. "What?" I asked.

She pointed at my brows and she smiled. "You're furrowing your brows again, Chieko. Why are you sad again?" she inquired. I blushed. "I-I was not sad. I was just thinking." I said. She chuckled. "You always think. But I guess it's needed, given your current position in Soryu's world." She said as she hesitated but opened her mouth and smiled sheepishly at me.

"Go ahead, ask away." I smiled. She nodded but she shook her head as well. "I was about to ask you if I can lie down on your lap because I feel quite sleepy. You know, being pregnant and all." She shyly laughed. I fixed my position and tapped my lap. "Go ahead, Hina."

She yawned as she happily laid her head on my lap. I looked odwn at her and then I stared at the wonderful sunset that the Tres Spades has offered me to see. I sighed.

"You sigh a lot. You're just like Soryu." Hinata said. I blushed. "Ah. Eisuke told me something about you two. I'm happy for you." She said.

"What?" Eisuke must've told her about the time I slept beside Soryu. I was too afraid to go back to sleep alone that time. "Well. I knew he was very smitten with you from the moment I saw his eyes look at you, Chieko. Tell me, do you feel the same?" she innocently looked up at me and I glanced at her. I silently nodded.

"Good." Was all she told me. "It's the very first time I have seen Soryu look at anybody the way he looks at you." She added. By this time I was already feeling warm in the face and every word she says makes me all the more flustered.

"Hina, I don't think he looks at me at a particular way." I stuttered. She laughed. "Oh, I have been around him for so long since he's good friends with my husband. He looks at you as if you're the only precious thing in this world." She said. "Nobody can deny that he likes you. That is why the others are also giving him a chance to be alone with you whenever possible. We even had wagers!" she rubbed her tummy and caressed it as if the baby was making movements that made her feel uncomfortable.

"Are you feeling okay?" I asked. "Wait. Wagers?" I asked and looked at her. She flinched and her breath was starting to be labored. Wait. Is she about to give birth? Oh god.

I looked around frantically, searching for the other people to arrive by the penthouse but I guess we're the only ones here and I was scared. I don't know how to deliver a baby. I panicked I leaned my hand on the ground where Hinata was to give her air when I slipped on something wet.

"Oops. I-I guess my water broke. Ouch." She whispered. She flinched as another contraction came to her. I couldn't breathe. I needed to get her to a hospital and fast. I looked at her and said, "We need to get you to a hospital. Call Eisuke and the others. Come on." I slowly raised her up as we both struggled to go back inside the penthouse. Once I opened the door, I yelled at the top of my lungs as Hinata struggled to suppress the pain of another contraction. She clung to me pretty tightly that is why I was having a hard time moving and when she went down as she clutched her stomach, I went down with her.

"HELP!" I screamed. It wasn't rational for me to scream and I knew that I was supposed to bring her to the hospital but I was panicking seeing her in so much pain. I took a deep breath and looked for my phone and dialed 911 and ordered to come quickly. The next thing I did was text Soryu and tell him that Eisuke needs to escape his responsibilities because he's going to be a father.

As I was lifting Hinata up, she screamed. I guess a strong contraction her and she was sweating and she was clutching to me as if her life depended on me. "Please." She gasped. I nodded. She screamed again.

"Everything will be fine. Hold on to me, Hinata." I held her and we went to the door when Baba and Ota entered and Baba looked at us as if we were crazy.

I slowly reached out my hand as Hinata clung to me pulling my sweater down. I clutched Baba's coat and said, "Bring us to the hospital. Now." That was when Hinata screamed a blood curdling scream and we all rushed her to the hospital.

 _ **Soryu's POV**_

I rested my head on my chair and closed my eyes. This battle between clans are getting worse and Ryuichi won't stop at nothing to tear the decent clans apart. Sometimes there are people who would stop at nothing just to see others be as miserable as they are.

I rubbed my hands on my face as I suddenly heard my phone vibrate. I forgot to look at it ever since I arrived in the office. Chieko might need me. I start to grab my phone when I see that Eisuke was calling me. That's odd.

"What?" I asked as I answered the phone.

"I'm a dad." He was breathing heavily as if he was crying and I heard chaos around the line. IT was as if somebody was yelling.

"What's going on?!" I asked. I heard Chieko's voice in the background. "Hina, push!" she kept on saying and I heard a loud curse and a scream saying, "EISUKE YOU BRAAAAAAAAT!" and I knew then and there that I was a godfather.

"Hold on, I'm coming there!" I said and I went to the hospital as fast as I could.

As I arrived in the hospital, I saw Baba, Ota, Kishi anxiously waiting on the waiting area as I heard from a distance the blood curdling scream of Hinata. The guys flinched every time she screamed. I started to open my mouth when somebody staggered out of the labor room and I noticed it was Chieko, looking haggard. Her brown curls which was supposed to be tied on a neat half pony tail was now in disarray as her curles bundled out of the ties and her sweater looked crumpled and pulled. She looked like she has seen and heard hell.

I came near her and helped her walk properly. She held onto me and she leaned her head on my shoulder. She was sweating and she was shaking. AS we neared the waiting area, I sat her down beside me as the boys crowded her.

"How was she? Was the baby okay?" they all asked. Chieko raised a hand and she nodded. "I don't know if Eisuke is, though." She chuckled. "Hinata was in such a pain that she pulled his neck tie too hard. I think he suffocated and fainted. But nevertheless, she's fine. They're fine. I just needed to get out of there." She said. She looked at me and she smiled.

"I look a fright." She placed her hands on her hair and she tried fixing it but I stopped her. I kissed her forehead and then her lips as I smiled back. "You did great." I pulled her to me, telling her to rest as I whispered. "I missed you." I could feel her smile as she buried her face on my shoulders and she whispered, "So did I."

Just when I thought that the mood was perfect and serene, her phone suddenly vibrated. She got out of my grasp to look at it and she frowned.

I glanced at her phone and saw that Yoichi was calling her.

"Pick it up." I said. She looked at me and nodded and she started to answer the call.

Why do I get the feeling that what Yoichi has to say won't be a nice thing to hear?

 _ **Chieko's POV**_

 __I looked at my phone and answered it. I slowly said, "Hello?"

I wonder what Yoichi wants.

"Miki? Great. It's you." He breathed. "Ichi, what's going on?" I asked

"Are you well? Where are you?"

"I'm fine. I'm at the hospital."

"What happened?"

"No, it's not me. It's Mr. Ichinomiya's wife. She gave birth today."

"Ah. I see."

"What is it, Ichi?"

"What time to do you think will you be able to be back at Tres Spades?"

"I-I don't know yet. I want to see Hinata and the baby. I want to see if they're fine."

"Okay."

"Ichi, what's going on?"

"Tell me if you're on your way home so I can fetch you there."

"Why? We're going out?"

"No."

"Ichi-"

"I'm taking you back. We're going home. I have no time left. So come home whenever you're able."

"Ichi, wait."

"I'll be waiting for you at Tres Spades already."

"Ichi-"

"See you there, Eko. Bye."

And he hung up.

He's taking me back.

Why do I feel so forlorn?

I looked at the people whom I have grown fond with and when Soryu touched my shoulders, I looked at him. "What is it?"

"It's Yoichi." I replied.

"What did he say?" Baba and Ota asked. I looked at them and I felt sad. I was not ready to leave, yet I wanted to see my family. However, I get this feeling that I'm not ready to be with Yoichi yet. Something in his air changed.

"He's- He's bringing me back home."


	24. Chapter Twenty One

**Chapter Twenty One**

 _ **Soryu's POV**_

The way she looked so forlorn made me want to embrace her and hide her from Yoichi forever. But I know Chieko has a sense of honor and she will not stray away from a promise that she has made with Yoichi and her family, even if it puts her happiness last. I sighed I was about to say something when Chieko flinched at another yell that came from the labor room and everything else went quiet.

For now, Yoichi's call was all forgotten. For now.

Eisuke emerged from the labor room and he was holding a bundle in his arms. Tears glistened in his eyes, yet his rpoud demeanor remained. He will die before he let anybody sees his tears. The bundle was pink and now I realized that we all had a god daughter. Tres Spades has a new princess.

Chieko ran up to Eisuke and asked about Hinata. He smiled and gave the bundle to Chieko. MY heart stopped at what I saw.

Chieko looked like a natural mother when she held Hinata's daughter. She looked like a loving mother and it made me wonder if ever she'll even have the chance to hold and shelter her own child. In another wquestion, who would be the father? I suppressed my own jealousy and looked at her loving eyes as she stared completely at awe at the baby. She glanced at me and she smiled. I have never seen her this happy.

Everybody started gathering around the baby and when Baba took her from Cheiko's arms, the baby opened its eyes, as if it was disturbed from something and it opened its mouth and she bawled, so loud, that even Eisuke hid from her and Baba, not knowing what to do, gave the baby back to Chieko. Chieko made a dance that made the baby quiet down for a bit but the nurses suddenly went out of the labor room and slowly took the baby from Chieko. Before Eisuke followed the nurses back in the labor room he looked at me and said, "You guys go on back to the hotel. I'll be able to manage this from here on. I'll give you guys a call when everything's settled. I believe my family and I need rest." He smiled and he disappeared into the labor room.

"Well, we saw that they're all fine. You can now rest eh, Chieko?" Baba looked at her as she smiled and nodded. I reached out my hand and told her, "Let's go home?"

She nodded and took my hand and we exited the hospital, dreading the events that will unfold once we reached Tres Spades.

Sadness has suddenly dawned over me and I feel desperate.

 _ **Chieko's POV**_

As soon as we reached the penthouse I knew that everything is a mess. I could sense people inside the penthouse. What's going on in here?

When the lights were opened I saw Yoichi, Tsuyoshi, and Tadao waiting for us at the lounge room. Before I even had the time to react, the twins embraced me tightly. I hugged them back. "You can finally come home!" Tsuyoshi held my face in his palms and he kissed on my forehead followed by another bear hug from Tadao. "Everybody missed you, Miki." I smiled. IT felt good, their familiarity and they warmth made me feel that everything will be okay even if I leave this place. Somehow, even if I feel sad that I will leave these new friends, my old family will welcome me twice as warm as they did. Just when I was starting to believe that I will be okay and that everything will be fine and safe, Yoichi talked; and every illusion that I had of making things okay shattered.

"That's enough, twins. Fetch her things in her room and let's leave."

The twins let go of me and their eyes' expressions told me that they too felt the difference with the Yoichi now and the Yoichi we knew. Maybe Ichi was having a difficult time with pressing matters that is why he couldn't help venting his exasperation on us. I looked at the twins and smiled at them to console them. "I'll be right here. Let's go home."

I looked at Soryu and I realized he hasn't moved from his place since we arrived, his hands were clutched at his sides and his expression is unfathomable. A shiver ran up my spine as I realized Yoichi was looking at me. He was looking at me as if he was daring me to do something. He wanted to see something.

He knew.

And he didn't like it.

"Miki, we got your stuff. Are you ready to leave?" the twins asked me. I looked at them and shook my head. "Can I get my hand bag from my room and fix myself?" I looked at Yoichi.

"Tadao, get her things." He said without breaking the eye contact with me. I felt annoyed and looked at him directly and snapped. "Can't I even get a private time before you pull me out?" I said and before I even heard his response, I went in my room and closed it.

I took a deep breath and grabbed the things that were left behind by the twins such as the books that I was currently reading and before I went out, I whispered a silent prayer, asking for the gods to help me in this one.

Yoichi has changed.

I grasped the knob and went out and I saw that everybody was looking at me. Baba and Ota were looking at SOryu and Soryu wasn't looking at either of us but he was staring out in the windows.

"Miki, are you ready to leave?" Tsuyoshi asked as he glanced back at me on their way to the elevator. I glanced at the gang and smiled and bowed low. "Thank you so much for your hospitality and making me feel comfortable. Tell Eisuke and HInata and their baby that I thank them so much and I wish I could visit." I smiled. Baba and Ota embraced me and swirled me around.

"You better come visit us soon, pretty lady." Baba smiled as he kissed my cheeks.

"We'll miss you, Chieko." Ota said as he kissed my forehead. I nodded.

"I'll see you guys soon!" I waved back and turned my back on them I fought so hard for my resolve to be strong. However, when somebody grabbed my hand and pulled me back, I knew I was weak. Soryu stared at me and his eyes told me everything he wanted to say.

I smiled and nodded.

"Chieko, let's go." Yoichi's voice boomed and I whispered to Soryu. "I have to go."

"Come back." He whispered back. He embraced me tightly and said, "I'll come back for you."

I looked at him and felt a hand on my shoulder and that was when I was trying to let go of Soryu's hand that I knew Yoichi was watching.

He didn't like what he was seeing.


	25. Chapter Twenty Two

**Chapter Twenty Two**

 _ **Yoichi's POV**_

Forgive me, Mrs. Kazumi.

I have been a very selfish person and I know this'll upset Eko. She will be disconcerted and she will feel quite miserable. But for now, I simply did not give a damn. It all seemed unfair to me. Call me an ungrateful cad, but it pains me to see that even the only person I tried to give my heart to won't accept me.

She doesn't love me the way I love her. She loves somebody else.

From the moment I saw the way her eyes was communicating with Soryu Oh's, I knew something had transpired between the two of them during the time of my absence. My old fellow took advantage of the time he had with her and made her fall. I couldn't accept it. From the way I watched him grasp her hands before we left, I knew this will wage a war far more dangerous than mafia worlds combined.

I might even lose myself a friend.

It's a better image than losing Chieko.

If she left, I can't bear it.

As we arrived home, my temper wasn't improving no matter how happy I saw her greet my men and them forever eager to please and serve her. It is as if for them, everything is back to how it is. But Chieko and I both knew that everything is now ruined and it can never be the same ever again. Not after she left, not after Samo and the others died.

"You'll want to rest, Eko." Tadashi said and she smiled and nodded. "I'll go up and I'll rest now then. Good night, Tsuyoshi and Tadao. I'll see you guys tomorrow morning?" the two nodded. I stared at Chieko's form ascending the stairs and I felt the twins looking at me warily.

"You are not to hurt her, Yoichi. Let her be." Tadao said as he too went in his rooms to rest.

"Yoichi, don't." Tsuyoshi said, but he was more audacious than his twin and he stared at me as if he was waiting for me to concede to that order.

"You have no right to tell me what to do and not do. I am leader here, I call the shots." I said as I went after Chieko.

I must do what I have to do. I cannot lose her.

I will not allow it.

 _ **Chieko's POV**_

 __As I entered my room, I could sense that things will definitely change. Yoichi is not the man I know. Not anymore. He has changed into somebody ruthless. As I took a look at his eyes a while ago, it was cold, hard, and unfathomable. Something shifted in his being and I think my leaving and Samo's death was the reason. He has so much weight in his shoulders and I knew he needed somebody to be there for him.

The only problem was he was expecting me to be with him.

But somehow, being with the people in Tres Spades made me forget who I was in this place and who I am in real life. But somehow I guess things are getting out of hand and I need to get back to where I really belong. It's just that I hope things can change for the better soon. All this mafia war is bringing out the worst in everybody and it isn't right. People's lives have been destroyed, dreams have been shattered, and people have been crushed into nothing.

When will this end?

I closed my eyes as I opened my window and took a deep breath of the air that welcomed me. All of a sudden, I felt somebody's eyes looking at me. I quickly looked at my back and saw Yoichi silently watching me.

I didn't like what I was seeing on his eyes.

"Why are you here? I didn't hear you come in." I said. He smirked and pushed himself off the door and stalked towards me slowly. As he took a step forward, I took one backward. I could feel myself shiver and my blood began to run cold when his eyes had this glint of danger… of ill intent.

This isn't the best friend I knew.

Yoichi's mind has been poisoned by jealousy.

As his hands reached my shoulders, I heard my mind scream danger.

"Did you enjoy your stay at Tres Spades?" he silently answered. His voice was so cold it made me shiver. I looked away from his face because his eyes were boring into mind so intensely I couldn't take the look of chilling anger in it. Mother, please help me.

His hands slowly ran up and down my arms and I felt disgusted. I closed my eyes as to forget and maybe I wish I was dreaming. Yoichi never touched met his way no matter what. There was something in this touch that wasn't endearing at all.

His touch was purely dangerous. Betraying. Scary.

"Yoichi…" I gasped as his other hand clamped on my jaw and he forced my face look up at him.

"You're hurting me." I struggled as his other hadng ripped my arm hard. He was so angry I didn't know what to do.

"Tell me something, Eko." He said. His cold voice lashed into my cloud of panic and my eyes widened and I felt tears prickle my eyes.

"What has gotten into you?" I whispered.

"Easy, Eko." He smiled.

"You betrayed me."


	26. Chapter Twenty Three

**Chapter Twenty Three**

 _ **Chieko's POV**_

"You betrayed me."

From the moment I saw those words form in Yoichi's lips, I knew I was doomed. I stared at him blankly, feeling nothing but the cold sweeping in my skin. The wind blew into my open window and I felt it wrap us both. It is as if time stopped in the most unfortunate moment. Yoichi hated me for loving another person but him.

He wanted me, but I didn't want him that way.

"What's wrong? Why do you look so torn?" Yoichi asked. I can still feel his steely gaze onto my face as I looked down and I felt myself go weak of all the sadness and shock. Yoichi never held me this way. He never looked at me this way. He never used this voice to me, ever. This isn't the Yoichi I went away with.

This isn't my friend anymore.

I feel him grip my shoulders a little bit tighter and he slowly shook me until I looked at him at shock. "Now tell me, Chieko. Have you developed any untoward feelings for my dear friend Soryu?" he silently asked. I couldn't bear to answer when he is so tense and so angry. It'd make everything worse. He shook me hard while he gritted his teeth and said "Have you? Answer me!"

"Stop it, Ichi! Ichi, stop you're hurting me!" I screamed. He kept on shaking me until I could feel my head rock back and forth from the force of his shaking. It is as if he is trying to shake out the admission out of me. He's hurting me and he is hurting himself more. I suddenly hear my door and I saw the twins enter and they are trying to stop Yoichi from abusing me. But he pushed them away and harshly said, "You stay out of this. This isn't your business." From the look of warning in Yoichi's eyes, the twins knew he needed to vent out his anger. The more he touches me, the more I feel resentment rise through me. I know were my loyalties lie, and falling in love wasn't a form of betrayal in any form or whatsoever but it seemed to me that he was trying to own when all the while he shouldn't.

I have never felt so deprived of my freedom.

He suddenly threw me on my bed with a force that left me bouncing as I landed on my mattress. I looked at him, feeling anger rise up in my system.

"How dare you, Eko? I gave you everything you needed and this is how you repay me?" he yelled. He stood there, fuming with his hands tightly curled up on his sides as he looked down on me and I stared back.

"You dare try to blackmail me with the favors you have done for me?" At this point, I knew my patience was at its limits. I slowly stood up and looked at him squarely in the eyes. "How dare YOU, Yoichi? You have no claim over me. Nothing. Not even my heart." I whispered. His eyes widened at my retaliation and I see the twins tense up behind us. "What did you just say?" he softly asked.

"I have a right to like someone of my own choosing. I have a right to live a life that is my own. I have a right and I am able to love Soryu if I can because I do and there's noth-" I said but what I was saying was cut short when I felt a stinging pain on my cheeks and the next think I know I am on the ground, holding my left cheek.

Yoichi have slapped me and the twins were there, looking at me wide eyed.

Yoichi never tried to hurt me this way. Whenever we had disagreements, communication was our primary resort. But I guess that rule doesn't apply to us now.

I stared at him in shock as I sat there, feeling the sting on my cheeks and I couldn't help but just stare at him dumbfounded. I wanted to say something, anything; but the shock of what he did remained such a huge surprise for me that I can't even find the words to say anything.

Yoichi, what monster have you turned into?


	27. AUTHOR'S NOTE :D

**Hi guys! I know it has been a very very long time since I have updated you guys with a new chapter... buuuut as we all know, work is very busy.. YES I HAVE WORK FINALLY! XD BUT!**

 **DO NOT WORRY!**

 **I**

 **WILL**

 **STILL FINISH**

 **SORYU'S**

 **LOVE STORY!**

 **We are actually almost done, just a couple of chapters more. So I will ask you to stay with me and I will upload the chapters when i have the time! I SWEAR!**

 **Thank you for those who stayed with me and patiently waited for my chapters. I am just quite busy with work and life in general right now. :( But I will not leave the story unfinished. Especially when I am working on starting with my first Mystic Messenger fic as well. Soryu has to come first, after all, he was my one and only love in KBTBB. ;)**

 **Thank you so much for your support and patience. I really appreciate it. Your comments, asking me when I will update, makes me feel bad because i really want to upload and make more stories for you guys but I can only do so much in one day. Don't worry I will make it up to you guys!**

 **Thank you again for your support, I know my story isn't the best, but thank you for reading them nonetheless.**

 **I'll update soon! i promise! :)**

 **P.S. If you guy also play Mystic Messenger, you can also message me or comment below your suggestions and requests for my next fic and let's work something out. :) oh also! follow me on tumblr ( chellythehellion) and on twitter ( chellygelly) or even on LINE! My asks for Mystic Messenger Headcanons are open so yeah, please drop by if you wanna ask or request something XD**

 **With love,**

 **Grumpypiggy :3**


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